SOCORRO, N.M. — Jiwan Chong, a senior at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), recently participated on a team that took third place at the Cybersecurity Challenge, sponsored by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) as part of its national conference. The conference was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, in November 2021, with the Cybersecurity Challenge held virtually a week earlier, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chong, a computer science major with an emphasis on cybersecurity, is active on campus in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers as well as the S-STEM Program. A graduate of Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, he received a scholarship specifically to focus on cybersecurity at New Mexico Tech.

A New Mexico Tech faculty member, Dongwan Shin, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and engineering, encouraged Chong to enter the competition and attend the conference for its learning and networking opportunities, especially in the cybersecurity field. The New Mexico Tech Student Government Association sponsored his participation in the conference representing the school and the university’s SHPE chapter.

For the virtual competition, Chong joined a three-man team that included two students from Texas A&M University-San Antonio, Mario Hernandez and Elias Castaneda. The competition consisted of a nine-hour virtual “capture the flag” “Jeopardy”-style challenge competition in which teams completed a series of interactive challenges within the shortest amount of time using teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Cybersecurity Challenge sponsor companies provided mentorship and coaching for the virtual competition participants. Challenge sponsors included the National Security Agency, a U.S. intelligence agency headquartered in Fort Meade, Maryland, within the Department of Defense responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security; and Raytheon Technologies, an aviation, space, and defense contractor based in Waltham, Massachusetts. 

Chong said the conference offered a plethora of opportunities for participants to explore careers in engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity. He encourages his fellow Tech students to participate in similar conferences aimed at connecting students with companies, governments agencies, and other organizations offering career opportunities in the science, technology, and engineering fields.

“Before I started at New Mexico Tech, I didn’t know anything about cybersecurity,” Chong said. “The field is growing tremendously. There are so many different pathways within the field. People are needed to enforce and protect the United States from malicious threats and attacks. The U.S. gets targeted more than any other country.”

In addition to the placing third in the Cybersecurity Challenge and splitting a $1,000 a cash prize with his teammates, Chong also came out of the SHPE conference with another victory — a job offer from a company participating in the conference that was actively recruiting graduating seniors seeking careers in cyber security. Chong is planning to move to northern Virginia after he graduates from New Mexico Tech in May to start a career as a systems engineer at Northrup Grumman, a multinational aerospace and defense technology company.