C. Jordan Howell, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology, spoke on the Cybersecurity Guide podcast to discuss his journey in academia and the cybersecurity- and cybercrime-related programs available at USF, including the cybercrime programs in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences.
Howell discusses how the cybercrime programs within the college incorporate elements from disciplines across the university, including engineering and business, to provide students with a holistic education.
“For me, it’s all about drawing from these different disciplines, working with the financial sector, working with our industry partners to ensure we’re offering something real that has meaning and can advance cybersecurity as both an academic discipline and a practice,” Howell explains in the podcast episode.
Howell played a foundational role in the development of the Sarasota Cybersecurity Lab, which brings together professors and students from various backgrounds and fields of research who bring unique voices and important ideas to the table. Howell argues that this interdisciplinary collaboration is what makes the programs at USF unique.
“This field requires an understanding of so many different tools, techniques, and strategies," said Howell. "Having a singular degree in which you focus on only one of those [disciplines] disallows you to understand the threat landscape and predict and prevent the occurrence of future cybercrime incidents.”
Howell became interested in cybercrime and cybersecurity after finding an exploit in the system of the fast food restaurant he was working at as a teen in Tennessee. He says that this set him on his journey in academia and his strategy of using forensic-type techniques to advance his research agenda and advance cybersecurity at a higher level.
In the episode, he also discusses extracurricular opportunities at USF and an upcoming club he is developing for students interested in cybercrime. Listen to the episode here.