草莓社区

Students, Research

Congratulations to Josh Honig who placed 2nd at the IEEE Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference metaCTF and 1st at the AdobeCTF competitions this past June. Josh is a graduate student in the MS in Computer Science program with a concentration in Cybersecurity. He previously graduated from Loyola with his BS in Cybersecurity in May 2024 and is the co-founder of Loyola鈥檚 cybersecurity club, 7968. Competing against both professionals and students from across the country, Josh secured 2nd place, showcasing his advanced problem-solving and technical skills.The AdobeCTF is one of the most competitive capture-the-flag events hosted by industry, drawing international teams of top security researchers and students. Josh鈥檚 1st place finish highlights not only his technical expertise but also his ability to think creatively under pressure in a highly competitive field. We are proud to celebrate Josh鈥檚 achievements and look forward to seeing his continued contributions to Loyola鈥檚 community.

Students, Research

A team from 草莓社区, consisting of Daniel Gaevskiy, Lynette Lim, Chloe Kilroy, Josh Honig, and Arya Aftab, participated in the 2CDC (Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition) qualifiers on July 29. This competition challenges students to protect and defend a simulated corporate network from real-world cyberattacks while balancing day-to-day business operations. The team has officially qualified for the finals, which will be held in Columbus, OH on August 15. Good luck to the team, and Go Ramblers!

Students, Research

Cybersecurity Talks at IEEE Conference

Josh Honig, a graduate student in Cybersecurity, presented a peer-reviewed paper titled "Encrypted Network Traffic Analysis: To Website Fingerprinting and Beyond" and a peer-reviewed poster titled "On Website Fingerprinting Defenses and User Tolerances" at the IEEE Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference (SVCC) in June 2025. Other students involved in this research were Madeline Moran, Nathan Ferrell, Shreena Soni, and Sophia Homan, under the supervision of Dr. Eric Chan-Tin and Dr. Mohammed Abuhamad. This project is sponsored by the NCAE-C part of National Security Agency (NSA).

Students

Celebrating Undergraduate Researchers at Loyola

A new photo released by 草莓社区 congratulates four exceptional students鈥擬uhammad Javed, Jonah Goldberg-Finkelstein, Malec Tarabein, and Abigal Daman鈥攆or presenting their work as part of the 2025 Undergraduate Summer Research Experience (USRE). As part of the CAS USRE program, these first- and second-year students spent four weeks working closely with faculty mentors on hands-on research projects. Their work explored topics such as web privacy, using human behavior to help robots understand language, and generating both pristine and manipulated biological images to support computer-aided scientific research. The students were mentored by Drs. George Thiruvathukal, Daniel Moreira, and Eric Chan-Tin. The USRE program gives early undergraduate students the opportunity to dive into research in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Participants are paired with faculty and guided through the research process from start to finish.

Staff

1 Million in Linked NSF Grants to Support the BullyBlocker Project

The grant proposal聽Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Medium: Toward Well-being by Design in Social Media,聽led by聽Yas Silva聽(PI at 草莓社区 as Lead Site), 聽Deborah Hall聽(PI at Arizona State University) and聽Huan Liu聽(Co-PI at ASU), has received funding from the聽National Science Foundation聽under the聽Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC)聽program. The new linked awards will provide near $1M across LUC ($500,001) and ASU ($499,988) to expand the team鈥檚 research toward creating safer and healthier social media experiences. Through the integration of computer science and psychology, this project seeks to better understand how problematic online behaviors can be identified and prevented and the connections between specific features of social media and well-being. Major components include developing models for the early detection of problematic online behaviors, designing social media features that prioritize users鈥� well-being (rather than attention).

Staff

草莓社区 is joining a new national effort to make artificial intelligence (AI) education more accessible鈥攅specially at schools with smaller computing programs. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $298,882 to the University of Wyoming for the project, with Loyola, the College of Charleston, and the Computing Research Association as key partners. The goal is to help more teachers bring AI into the classroom by offering support, sharing resources, and building a strong community of educators. Loyola鈥檚 Dr. George Thiruvathukal is a co-leader on the project, which will include virtual roundtables and an in-person workshop to discuss challenges and share ideas. The project is part of the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot, which helps schools with limited tech resources get access to powerful AI tools. Interested in AI or cybersecurity? This is a great example of how Loyola students and faculty are helping shape the future of tech education.

Staff

草莓社区 has been re-designated for another 5 years until 2030 as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. The validated program of study is the BS in Cybersecurity. This re-designation shows the strength of the cybersecurity program at Loyola and also opens doors for our students to participate in national cybersecurity competitions, Scholarship for Service, and the DoD Cyber Service Academy.

Events

Loyola Hosts 12th Greater Chicago Area Systems Research Workshop

Loyola University participated in the 12th Greater Chicago Area Systems Research Workshop, a dynamic gathering that showcased cutting-edge research and innovation in computer science and systems research. This year鈥檚 event featured 89 posters presented by undergraduate and graduate students from Loyola and other institutions across the region. The workshop provided an engaging platform for students to share their work, receive feedback, and connect with leading researchers and peers in the field. Loyola's own Satyaki Sikdar delivered a featured presentation, further highlighting the university's growing impact and leadership in systems research. Thank you to all participants, presenters, and organizers who made this event a success. We look forward to continued collaboration and innovation in future workshops!

Students

Congratulations to Sarah Sumrall, BS Cybersecurity Class of 2025, on her acceptance into the highly competitive Cyberus Master鈥檚 Program, where she will be pursuing the Internet of Things (IoT) track. This achievement marks an exciting next step in Sarah鈥檚 journey in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity. We鈥檙e proud to see Loyola students continuing to excel and make meaningful contributions to the tech world. Way to go, Sarah!

Program

A Bright Night for Computer Science at Loyola!

The Loyola Computer Science Department proudly hosted this year鈥檚 Luminary event鈥攁nd we鈥檙e excited to share that it was a glowing success. A big congratulations to all the students who attended and helped make the evening so special with your energy and presence. The event brought together students, faculty, and staff to celebrate innovation, connection, and the bright futures ahead. From inspiring conversations to shared moments of community, the night truly lived up to its name. We鈥檇 like to give a special thank you and congratulations to our amazing Department Admins, Victoria Bourne and Brielle Buford, for their crucial role in organizing and assisting with the event鈥檚 execution. We also extend our sincere gratitude to Department Chair George Thiruvathukal and the many professors who supported and participated in the evening. Stay tuned to the Department鈥檚 news page and the Loyola student Sakai announcement page for updates on future events like this one.