Kilger researches the relationship between humans and technology and offers a unique understanding into the mind of a cybercriminal.
(July 24, 2019) -- On Tuesday, July 30, UTSA will host Max Kilger, an associate professor in practice in its College of Business, as the seventh speaker in the UTSA 50th Anniversary Scholars Speaker Series. During the lecture, Black Hat, White Hat, Gray Hat, Red Hat: What Dr. Seuss Forgot to Tell You About Computer Hackers, Kilger will share his research, which sheds light into a cybercriminal’s mind.
Kilger serves as a faculty member in the UTSA Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security. He is the academic director of the UTSA Critical Technology Studies Program which designates UTSA as an Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence. This program prepares students for a career in the intelligence community. His research focuses on the social and psychological factors motivating malicious online criminals, hackers and cyber terrorists.
The presentation will benefit many audiences. Kilger will provide insight into the human element of cybersecurity for the general public to demonstrate how important it is to understand why people commit malicious acts online. The UTSA professor believes citizens have a basic understanding of the importance of cybersecurity but may lack the specific knowledge necessary to understand the magnitude of the threats the nation currently faces.
“It is important to build a better, more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between individuals and digital technology,” said Kilger. “Proper basic cybersecurity awareness for everyone should be a priority for industry as well as our educational systems and it should start early on.”
To aid the business community, Kilger’s lecture will also emphasize the role of the relationship people have with technology and the role technology plays in national security issues and policies. He will encourage local professionals to incorporate human behavior into a larger role for cyber related analysis.
>> Read how UTSA advances national security.
UTSA is home to the No. 1 cybersecurity program in the nation, according to the Ponemon Institute, and has three Center of Academic Excellence designations—in information assurance/cyber defense education, information assurance research and cyber operations—from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. San Antonio is among the nation’s largest cybersecurity hubs and home to the largest concentration of cybersecurity experts and industry leaders outside Washington, D.C., uniquely positioning the city and UTSA to lead the nation in cybersecurity research and workforce development together.
>> Read how the Texas House recognized UTSA as a national leader in cybersecurity education.
Additionally, the university is home to the National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC), where government, university and industry partners to collaborate on scientific investigations and business enterprises. The NSCC includes research laboratories with state-of-the art hardware and software, a computational Innovation Factory and business incubator to develop prototypes and concepts for the public good, a visualization laboratory to translate big data into images for large-scale, high resolution digital walls, and a high-performance computing center to support the research and development of algorithms and systems for addressing computational and data-intensive problems.
The UTSA lecture is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30 at the Geekdom Event Center, 131 Soledad St., San Antonio. Kilger will be introduced by Ileana Gonzalez ’16, operations and community manager at San Antonio’s Tech Bloc and 2015-2016 Student Government Association President. Doors to the venue, which includes a cash bar, will open at 6 p.m. Kilger will begin speaking at 6:30 p.m. and will be available to meet with attendees and answer questions following the lecture at 7:15 p.m.
To celebrate 50 years as San Antonio’s urban serving university and to thank San Antonio for its support and commitment to higher education, UTSA is presenting its 50th Anniversary Scholars Speaker Series throughout 2019, featuring experts on a broad range of contemporary issues that impact society today.
Celebrate UTSA’s 50th Anniversary and share social media posts about the 50th using the hashtag #UTSA50.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
