Unique Program Hones Information Security and Management Skills

Carnegie Mellon CyLab Japan graduated its first class on March 20. An initiative of the College of Engineering's Information Networking Institute (INI) and the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management, the graduate degree program prepares students to become leaders in information security.

"I strongly feel that customers really need to know about what would happen, what is happening to their companies in terms of information security," said Mika Sashikata, one of nine international students to complete the rigorous curriculum. "[Customers] are not satisfied if they are only given business information about products of certain vendors. The knowledge we gained at Carnegie Mellon CyLab can help them."

Sashikata, who was sponsored by her company, said the curriculum of both theoretical and practical study helped her when she returned to work. Blending information security technology with management and policy, the program's core classes range from security architecture and analysis to information security risk policy and management.

"Given CyLab's interdisciplinary strengths in technology, policy and management, and INI's track record in delivering distributed education programs, CyLab and INI are strategically positioned to offer programs around the world that can produce graduates capable of solving complex security issues," said Pradeep Khosla, dean of Carnegie Mellon's College of Engineering and co-founder of CyLab.

Carnegie Mellon University Provost and Senior Vice President Mark Kamlet presided over the ceremony in Kobe, Japan. CyLab is a university-wide, multidisciplinary initiative that builds on more than two decades of university leadership in information technology and involves roughly 200 faculty, students and staff.

Photographed (l to r): Provost Mark Kamlet, program graduate Mika Sashikata, and INI Director Dena Tsamitis

Related Links: CyLab  |  INI  |  College of Engineering  |  Heinz School

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