Students Connect with the Cybersecurity Community at WiCyS

Information Network Institute (INI) students, staff and alumni attended this year’s Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) conference in Washington, D.C. As a long-time sponsor and participant, the INI continues to sponsor students to attend and engage the broader research and practitioner community.   

WiCyS is an annual conference focused on building an engaged community and helping recruit leading talent in the cybersecurity space. It brings together leaders in government, academia and industry to participate in workshops, talks and network activities. The 2026 conference featured keynotes from co-founders, chief technical officers and senior-level leaders from across industries, including leaders from CipherSonic Labs, Bloomberg and  ALFA Group, MIT CSAIL. 

This year, two INI students were sponsored to attend the event: M.S. in Information Security (MSIS) students Nargiz Heybatova and Shreya Savadatti.   

For Heybatova, the blend of technical focus and community building was the most significant benefit of attending. “WiCyS is one of those experiences that works on many levels at once,” said Heybatova. “On the technical side, you get a real sense of where the field is heading and the challenges people are working to solve. But what stays with you most is the community.  

“Connecting with women from across the world, from different backgrounds and stages of their careers, you realize how much their experiences echo your own. In just a few days, you find friends, exchange ideas and both give and receive help. It’s hard to fully put into words how meaningful that is."  

Savadatti was drawn to the conference as a platform for sharing ideas and learning about the latest technology and methods in cybersecurity. “WiCyS has been one of those spaces where every conversation sparks a new idea,” said Savadatti. “Getting to meet people who are building real security systems and doing cutting-edge research has been incredibly motivating.

"Experiences like this remind me why I love working in cybersecurity and emerging technologies. I’m really grateful to the INI for making it possible for students to be here and be part of these conversations.”  

WiCyS is also an opportunity for the INI to connect with the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. INI Director of Admissions Amber Dworek returned to represent the INI and connect with interested students and professionals during the career fair.   

"WiCyS is a great place for the INI to meet students who are excited about cybersecurity and thinking seriously about their next step," she said. "Being there helps us build early connections with future leaders who want to learn, research and make an impact in the field."

Also in attendance this year at WiCyS were a number of INI alumni, including Chinomso Ashiogwu and Neha Gautam of the M.S. in Information Technology - Information Security program, and MSIS graduates Hashika Kalisetty and Maansi Tyagi.