Rethinking the Bottleneck in Diversifying the Cybersecurity Talent Pool: What Actions can We Take and How can We Measure Success?

Although the number of cybersecurity programs is increasing, the field remains challenged in sourcing talent, particularly among underrepresented groups (URGs). The need for inclusion and diversity is critical to a better workforce and to better problem solving which is critical in cybersecurity. Many people want to contribute to diversifying cybersecurity but don't know where/how to start. In this BoF session, participants will explore the following questions: (1) what are the most significant barriers preventing wider diversity in cybersecurity, (2) what are the most significant enablers to increase URGs participation in cybersecurity, (3) what are some actionable items to improve the diversity landscape in cybersecurity, and (4) how to measure the success of these actions. Participants should exit this session with a better understanding on what change they can make to have a positive impact on diversifying the cybersecurity workforce at their institution. This BoF will plant a seed for a community of educators who want to contribute to the cybersecurity diversification effort through evidence-based interventions. A summary of the BoF discussion will be disseminated publicly and shared with the BoF participants for possible future collaboration. The BoF facilitators will create a working group for the participants to follow up on diversification efforts and will hold periodic virtual meetings to discuss contributions, observations, outcomes and recommendations.