SE Valley Times

Becoming a researcher is not a career path many high school students hear about when considering their future. But an Arizona State University internship aims to change that.

This summer, 23 Phoenix-area high school students were given the opportunity to participate in an eight-week cybersecurity research internship.

Now in its fourth year, the Center for Cybersecurity and Trusted Foundations' summer program partners high school students with graduate student mentors from the center and the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence for collaborative research on campus.

The program wrapped up on Tuesday with the students presenting the results of their university-level research. The event took place at the Brickyard Courtyard in Tempe, which was overflowing with high school, college and graduate students, professors, and parents. The interns discussed their experiences, the challenges they encountered, and their findings.

“When I was an undergraduate, I had no idea what PhD-level research was like,” said Adam Doupé, director of the Center for Cybersecurity and Trusted Foundations. “The program is an excellent way to expose high school students to research.”

ASU is a major research university, ranking fifth in the U.S. for research expenditures among universities without a medical school. The cybersecurity internship provides multiple opportunities for participants, including exposure to:

Emerging concepts and technologies.

Prominent researchers in a world-class research lab.

Computer science programs for students considering attending ASU.

"It allows students to understand the latest in cybersecurity and really get their hands dirty writing code and solving complex cybersecurity challenges,” said Doupé, who is also an associate professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence.

Jackie LeFevers, assistant director at Center for Cybersecurity and Trusted Foundations, said the internship "helps students get into the research mindset and see possibilities if they continue to follow this path."

Daniel Jian was one of those students. During the eight weeks, he researched applications that performed unwarranted tracking — especially on children — despite regulations and policies that are in place. Jian discovered which unauthorized third-party trackers were being used to monitor kids.

“I’m an advocate for internet privacy,” said Jian, 16, of Litchfield Park. “If we can’t expect companies to respect children’s privacy, how can we ensure anyone’s privacy?”

Jian analyzed app codes to find unauthorized trackers. At the end of the internship he stated: “I am satisfied with the program and proud of what I did.”

Prior to this experience Jian had considered going into academia; he confirmed that it helped with his decision-making process: “Absolutely,” he said. “It has really cemented my desire... It gave me a taste of research... It allowed me to see how research can make an impact — especially on things I really care about.”

The high school junior has 75 college credits from dual enrollment classes and plans two undergraduate bachelor’s degrees upon graduating from high school. He intends to apply for graduate studies in data systems possibly at ASU.

ASU computer science doctoral student Syed Navid mentored Daniel Jian during this period.

Riya Dhuri another participant studied privacy precautions taken by people aged 18-22 discovering younger individuals initially practiced unsafe methods but evolved over time becoming more cautious.

Dhuri attends Basis Chandler High School interested in medicine & engineering stating: "It was a great opportunity."

Her mentor Ananta Soneji noted internships help determine potential career interests before college entry: "It doesn’t mean they have to go into computer science but gives them opportunity..."

Jian & Dhuri were among over 100 competitors vying for this coveted $1,800 stipend internship which saw nearly 300% applicant increase compared last year indicating local talent per Doupé: "I am blown away by amazing intern-conducted researches… inspiring next-gen scientists."