I have been trying to reach out to different professors in order to see whether there are research opportunities over the summer in cybersecurity. One thing that I’ve learned really helps to grab their attention and better engage in conversation is taking the time to look them up and reading their previous works. This way, it is much easier to be aware of the type of work they are doing and allows me to specifically discuss which part of their research interests me, instead of simply asking them for any random position. While many professors responding to me saying that they were not planning on conducting research over the summer, most of them has said to stay in touch and to never be afraid of reaching out to them for cybersecurity guidance. I think this will prove essential as I get more engaged in this field. Additionally, I have some meetings set up for the future so there is still a potential of directly getting involved in cybersecurity research. In either case, this has been a wonderful way to not only get to know those who are experts in the field, but also to learn how to make more genuine connections.
