Security Goals for 2009

I was caught off-guard today by the announcement that the RSA Conference submission deadline is coming up in a week! I need to decide if I will submit any of the successful (interesting? timely?) projects I have worked on in the past year for consideration. I would love to present at the April 2009 conference in San Francisco. I was sick this past year, and kind of bounced around dosed up on Nyquil all week!

Besides this great conference, I was involved in the Black Hat 2008 conference in Las Vegas this past summer. It was good to serve on a panel for the executive briefings. So, if I can’t get a paper submitted (my employer isn’t always keen on discussing projects publicly), maybe I will be able to serve on a committee or panel. I was on the RSA Conference organizing committee this past year, and it was a great experience.

I finish my year as chariman of the IA-IL IEEE Section in January, and become past-chair. I still remain active in the Quad Cities Engineering and Science Council, and I am working on bringing in a speaker for the local Putnam Museum in November. I am also working on starting a “Computer Society” chapter for IEEE locally. If all works out, I will have a meeting in November at St. Ambrose University to kick that off!

For the coming year, I am serving as treasurer for the FBI Infragard board (Springfield Chapter). I am also the education chair for the IEEE for Region 4 (midwest). I think these things will keep me pretty busy. I have enjoyed my involvement with IEEE the past several years, as a board member, and it was great to spend a week in Quebec City in September for our Sections Congress. In addition to computer security, it is a great opportunity to promote general science and engineering, and critical thinking skills with K-12 and all members of the local community.

That’s my update. I will try to use this space as my “professional” blog, and keep it updated with events I am participating in, and my commentary on topics related to computer security.