My field is network security but it’s one I didn’t see myself going into up until a couple years ago.  My introduction to and passion for technology initiated with PC building and the tech enthusiast community on YouTube.  It was this community of tech fans sharing all the cool ways technology is and can be used that put me on the path I’m on today.  Before this, I grew up with an interest in a different area born from the heavy push towards going green and lessening our impact on the environment.  Due to associating technology with waste, pollution, and a use of earth’s finite resources at an unsustainable rate, my interest in technology was kept limited to an indulgent hobby in the form of video games.  I didn’t have an interest in becoming the hippie or tree hugger stereotype, but I did spend years of my childhood insisting that when I grew up I was going to become an architect that focused on designing environmentally friendly buildings with as little use of nonrenewable resources as possible.

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            Having found and joined the tech enthusiast community I learned that technology isn’t limited to this evil that leads to pollution and a burning of earth’s finite resources.  I realized technology could be what allows society to continue uninterrupted while moving away from its harmful practices.  While I still have dreams of doing my part in protecting the environment I no longer feel like it needs to be my life’s goal.  Instead, I aimed my desire to do my part and protect towards other areas.  Initially, this led me to joining the military, but my time serving didn’t satisfy the passion for technology that I no longer saw as wicked.  After some research I landed on trying my hand at network security.  I could have gone towards a field like sustainable energy or another side of green technology but I my time in the military instilled a stronger duty to protect.  This is what drew me to network security and the defensive side specifically which aims to protect society from the darker more malicious side of technology.

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            My academic experience has taught me that network security can come in many forms and even simple acts like sharing awareness can have a substantial impact in lessening the harm certain people can cause.  Fairly early on in my education, it became obvious that the reason awareness is able to have such an impact is due to the fact that ignorance is in fact not bliss.  There is a problem society faces where greed has led some to weaponizing ignorance to take from others.  Technology has seen an astronomical advancement at a pace that certain generations have not been able to keep up with despite being forced to use it.  Scams, identity theft, ransomware and more have seen an uptake through the use of technology.  Those who don’t understand how to protect themselves and who aren’t aware of the ways technology is being use against them are being taken advantage of.  This had led to lives being ruined and livelihoods being taken away.  As it is mostly the older generation who this happens to, due to living in a time before much of today’s technology existed, they are who a lot of energy is being dedicated to bringing awareness to.  However, forgetting about the other generations could lead to new problems.

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            I have made it my professional goal to bring awareness to and educate people before they reach adulthood where the consequences could end up being much worse.  I want to get ahead of the problem instead of reacting to it.  Teaching even the basics of security could prevent access to someone’s bank account from being compromised, their identity being stolen, or even their business being held for ransom.  While I was taught to leave things better than you found it and not to take more than you give, not everyone lives their lives this way.  Even if I leave this earth having not made some big impact, between my dream to build a net positive homestead and helping people protect their technological lives, I want to leave society better than how I found it.