The Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity and the UC Berkeley School of Information (I School) are thrilled to welcome Lisa Ho as the Academic Program Manager for the new Master of Information and Cyber Security degree (MICS) program, also known as cybersecurity@berkeley.
Lisa joins the I School with practical experience managing the unique demands of cybersecurity on a university campus. She has been at UC Berkeley since 2011, first as the IT Policy Manager on the Information Security and Policy team, then as the Campus Privacy Officer in the Office of Ethics, Risk and Compliance Services. Prior to coming to Berkeley she served as the Technology Strategy Officer at San Francisco State University, and as IT manager and analyst in the technology and retail sectors. In the physical realm, she studies Javanese gamelan and dance.
“We are excited to bring Lisa Ho into this important position,” says Jesse Goldhammer, Associate Dean of Business Development and Strategy at the School of Information. “She comes to us with a ton of experience working on cybersecurity issues for the Berkeley campus. The launch of the MICS program marks a pivotal moment for the UC Berkeley School of Information. As academic director for the program, Lisa will play a key role in its success.”
Cybersecurity@berkeley is a new online degree program that is coordinated by CLTC, the School of Information, and the UC Berkeley College of Engineering. The program was launched in response to growing demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of information security professionals is projected to grow 28 percent by 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Significant industry growth can be attributed to the demand for more innovative solutions to protect privacy and prevent hacking in an increasingly data-driven environment.
The cybersecurity@berkeley program consists of 27 credit hours, with courses focusing on both the technical and interdisciplinary aspects of cybersecurity, including cryptography, secure programming, and web security. MICS students will interact with faculty, network with other students, and gain exposure to applied research through live online classes and real-world immersion experiences. Classes are taught by UC Berkeley faculty through interactive course content powered by 2U, Inc.
“Cybersecurity is a bubbling cauldron of technology, information, and people, so it’s fitting that Berkeley’s new cyber degree is housed at the multi-disciplinary School of Information,” says Ho. “The holistic grounding of the MICS curriculum leads students to develop deep technical skills infused with an understanding of the human context that shapes cybersecurity. I’m excited about the powerful career boost the MICS degree will give cybersecurity professionals, and believe that together with the CLTC research arm, we will have an important impact on the cybersecurity domain.”
Welcome, Lisa Ho!