2026 CyAD PRE-SUMMIT WORKSHOPS

Tuesday • June 23, 2026

Location: (IN-PERSON)
Moraine Valley Community College
9000 W. College Parkway
Palos Hills, IL 60465

Take your Summit experience to the next level! We are excited to offer the following pre-summit workshops designed to provide immersive, in-depth learning. These exclusive sessions will give you practical tools and deeper insights to bring back to your classroom or organization.

Registration:

You must be registered for the CyAD Summit to participate in the pre-summit workshops.

CyAD Summit Registration: June 23-25, 2026

Pre-Summit Workshop Registration: June 23, 2026
(Registration code required)

~ FULL DAY WORKSHOP ~

Please note: Lunch is included only with the full‑day workshop. Participants attending afternoon-only workshops will need to plan for lunch on their own.

Empowering Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) AI Adoption and Use

Time: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Room: TBD
Fee: $500 (lunch included)

This workshop is designed for IHE’s CSOs, CIOs, CTOs, and IT Director’s and Managers and will cover technical policy and governance, the AI threat landscape and risk, AI models, standards and approaches for architecting AI for security and implementing technical controls to ensure safe and responsible use of AI. Participants will leave with actionable information and access to concrete use cases, templates, and playbooks. 

Facilitator(s):

• Michele Robinson, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CDPSE, Senior Director & Principal Investigator, National Cybersecurity Centers (NCyTE & CCNC), Whatcom Community College
• Ken Huang, Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco
• TBD

~ AFTERNOON ONLY WORKSHOPS ~

Please note: Participants attending afternoon-only workshops will need to plan for lunch on their own.

Flipper Zero for Cybersecurity Across the Disciplines

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM 
Room: TBD

Registration Options (choose one): 

Participants may register for the workshop with the option to include the cost of a Flipper Zero device, or they may bring their own. While a Flipper Zero is not required to participate, having one is strongly encouraged to support a more engaging, hands-on learning experience.

1. Workshop Only (Bring Your Own Device): $200
   For participants who already have a Flipper Zero and will bring their own.

2. Workshop + Flipper Zero Device: $375
   Includes the $200 workshop registration fee plus a Flipper Zero with SD card (device value: $175, reflects a 30% academic discount). Attendees keep the device. Please note, that registration for this option closes May 3 to allow time for purchase and delivery of the devices. 

Cybersecurity touches every discipline, not just IT or computer science. Physical security, networking, wireless communication, IoT devices, operational technology, and even everyday classroom technologies now pose real vulnerabilities. The Flipper Zero has emerged as one of the most approachable tools for exploring these concepts. It interacts with technologies that faculty and students encounter daily, including RFID-based access cards, wireless doorbells, remotes, Bluetooth devices, classroom presentation equipment, and basic IoT systems. Because of its simplicity and versatility, it offers an ideal entry point for hands-on learning that is relevant to a broad academic and workforce audience.

Participants could explore key cybersecurity concepts such as physical security, wireless protocols, networking basics, system hardening, and IoT risk through practical, real-world examples. Topics may include how access cards can be cloned, how wireless signals like doorbells and remotes transmit data, how insecure Bluetooth or IoT devices can expose a network, and how simple misconfigurations in classroom or workplace technologies can create vulnerabilities. These demonstrations will help faculty and workforce professionals understand how cyber-physical systems operate, where weaknesses appear, and how to communicate these risks effectively in their own disciplines, cyber clubs, and GenCyber-style programs.

Cybersecurity now intersects with nearly every discipline, not just IT or computer science. Technologies such as physical security systems, networking infrastructure, wireless communication, IoT devices, operational technology, and even everyday classroom tools introduce real and often overlooked vulnerabilities. The Flipper Zero has emerged as an accessible, hands-on tool for exploring these concepts. It interacts with technologies that faculty and students encounter regularly, including RFID access cards, wireless doorbells, remote controls, Bluetooth devices, presentation systems, and basic IoT environments. Its simplicity and versatility make it an effective entry point for experiential learning across a wide range of academic and workforce contexts.

Facilitator(s):

• Eric Renegar, Professor, Information Technology Academics, Sinclair Community College
• Kyle Jones, NCyTE Co-PI, Assistant Dean of Technology, Sinclair Community College
• Doug Hampton, Associate Professor/Chair | Business & Public Services Division, Sinclair Community College
• Kristine Christensen, Director, Faculty Development / Professor, Computer Information Systems, Moraine Valley Community College

Leadership, Governance, and Policy: Risks with Emerging AI and Cyber

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM 
Room: TBD
Fee: $200

This workshop will focus on leadership, governance, and policy issues in academic institutions where emerging AI technologies are utilized. Various topics will be examined through the lens of audiences affected at the institutions: faculty, staff, students, athletes, on-campus health facilities, applicants (both students and employees), and the public. Participants will leave the workshop with a more refined sense of relevant risks to take back to their home institutions to further discussions on best approaches to implement.

Facilitator(s):

• DeBrae Kennedy-Mayo, Faculty of Law & Ethics, Georgia Institution of Technology

Proof of Process: Designing AI-Resistant Assessments

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM 
Room: TBD
Fee: $200

As Generative AI reshapes the academic landscape, educators must evolve their assessment strategies to ensure student integrity and authentic learning. This hands-on workshop introduces actionable strategies for "AI-proofing" your curriculum, ranging from in-class analog pivots to complex, process-oriented digital projects. Participants will move beyond theory and actively develop four distinct types of exercises—including scaffolded reflections, hyper-local research prompts, and oral defense simulations—tailored to their specific disciplines. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a diversified assessment toolkit that shifts the focus from policing technology to evaluating unique, human-centric critical thinking.

Facilitator(s):

• Jiri Jirik, Director, Educational Pathways National Center
• Michael Qaissaunee, Professor/Chair, Engineering and Technology, Brookdale Community College

Trust but Verify: Auditing AI-Generated Data

Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM 
Room: TBD
Fee: $200

Generative AI has rapidly become a staple in the academic toolkit, but its propensity for "hallucinations and incorrect data conclusions"—confident but incorrect assertions—poses a significant challenge for accuracy and academic integrity. This workshop shifts the focus from policing AI usage to empowering students with the critical thinking skills necessary to scrutinize machine-generated data. In this interactive session, participants will learn specific methodologies and requirements for validating AI outputs, including lateral reading techniques, source triangulation, and bias detection. Participants will engage in hands-on "red teaming" exercises where they will generate AI content and practice exposing inaccuracies.

Facilitator(s):

• Dr. John Sands, NCyTE Co-PI, Professor, Executive Director CSSIA
• Dr. Christian Servin, Professor, El Paso Community College

Payment: 

After completing the Pre-Summit registration form, submit payment by selecting “PAY ONLINE” and follow on-screen instructions.

• Accepted online payment methods (credit or debit): Visa, Mastercard, and Discover
• Payment methods not accepted: American Express, invoice, personal check, or corporate check

No Refunds: Please note that registration fees are non-refundable.

Email Communication:

Registration status emails will be sent from NcyteCenter@wildapricot.org. Please add this email address to your safe sender list and check your junk folder to ensure you receive all communication. If you do not receive an email after registering, then contact NCyTE@whatcom.edu.

• If registration and payment is confirmed, this email will serve as your registration receipt.
• If payment is outstanding, then click the link in the email to complete the online payment. 

Visit the CyAD Registration Information webpage for more information.  For all other registration questions, contact NCyTE@whatcom.edu.