• Charles Sturt University’s Girls in Cyber Security Advancing program wins Australian Information Security Association 2020 award
• Program won ‘Best STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Promoter of the Year’ award
• GiCSA has developed skills of female students around regional NSW and received international recognition and awards wins since it started in 2018

Charles Sturt University’s Girls in Cyber Security Advancing (GiCSA) program has finished but it continues to gain national recognition.

The program recently won the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) 2020 ‘Best STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Promoter of the Year’ award.

AISA asked its 7,000 members to vote and winners were announced at the closing ceremony of the Risk and Cyber Week in late November.

More than 130 young women from Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga, Griffith, Port Macquarie, Dubbo, Bathurst, Orange, and Wangaratta have participated in the GiCSA program, which is designed to encourage girls in Years 9 and 10 to pursue a career in cyber security.

Project leader and Associate Head of the School of Computing and Mathematics Professor Tanveer Zia said winning awards is nice, but knowing the program has changed the lives of young girls is more rewarding.

“For me, it is more satisfying to know that the program has contributed to the lives of young girls and has equipped them with cyber hygiene skills that will help them in their careers, regardless if they choose Information Technology or cyber security,” he said.

“Despite traditional obstacles, we hope that women are successful in forging paths to career success by seeking higher education and obtaining leadership roles, contributing positively to the field of cyber security.”

Professor Zia said the program offered an academic experience with an increased engagement through hands-on cyber experience and leadership skills.

As a result, Professor Zia said the participants were better equipped to maintain a safe online presence, providing them increased confidence in virtual environments.

The resources developed during the program’s two-year lifespan are available to high schools to incorporate into their IT subjects.

Professor Zia said there is intention to offer on-demand workshops after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

He has also received interest from universities in Victoria and South Australia to replicate the program in their regions.

For regional NSW high schools wanting more information, contact Professor Zia at gicsa@csu.edu.au.