Photo by Peter Julian
Dublin native Conor Quinn is helping the Woods College of Advancing Studies break new ground鈥攁nd potentially aiding his own country鈥檚 efforts鈥攊n the increasingly vital field of cybersecurity, as Boston College鈥檚 inaugural Fulbright Ireland-USA TechImpact Cybersecurity Scholar.
Quinn is approaching the mid-point of his four-month Fulbright sojourn at Woods College, where he is working with the school鈥檚 Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program. An assistant manager at Deloitte Ireland specializing in cybersecurity and digital forensics, Quinn is studying new methods of implementing strategies to help bridge the communication gap between information technology security professionals and key business stakeholders.
When he returns to Ireland in December, he will share the fruits of his Fulbright experience, seeking to help improve the communication and leadership skills of cyber professionals and the effectiveness of cybersecurity functions for Irish organizations.
But Quinn鈥檚 stint at Woods College is no one-way street: He brought with him the expertise and skills honed through working in Ireland, which has become a key focal point for European and transatlantic cybersecurity interests.
Kevin Powers
鈥淐onor is a true professional,鈥� said Kevin Powers, founding director of the cybersecurity master's program. Because of his maturity, outgoing personality, and drive to learn, I鈥檝e included him in everything we鈥檙e doing, and at the highest levels鈥攚hether assisting me in developing online courses, meetings with the U.S. Assistant Attorney General, researching complex legal and policy issues, representing our Cybersecurity program at FBI Boston, IBM Security, MIT, and at meetings with other senior executives from private industry and local, state and federal governments. Conor really set the bar high for the next Fulbright.鈥�
Powers, who also holds appointments as assistant professor of the practice at Boston College's Law School and Carroll School of Management, credits 51茶馆 Global Leadership Institute Robert Mauro and his staff for working with the Fulbright program. 鈥淲e looked at this as an opportunity to not only solidify 51茶馆鈥檚 relationships in Ireland, but to also to be the 鈥榟ub鈥� for collaboration between academia, industry, and government鈥攁nd a chance for 51茶馆 to take the lead in the cyber and national security space.聽 We are excited that this is going to be an ongoing relationship.鈥�
Quinn, who holds bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from University College Dublin, said the Woods program addresses a critical need in cybersecurity鈥攏ot just in Ireland but throughout the field.
鈥淐ybersecurity is not just about having technical know-how, but also a management perspective: seeing cybersecurity from an organizational standpoint, where you have to set priorities, direct resources, and set policy,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲hat I like about this program is how it is aimed specifically at professionals who want to fill that role in connecting tech and management.鈥�
“Cybersecurity is not just about having technical know-how, but also a management perspective: seeing cybersecurity from an organizational standpoint, where you have to set priorities, direct resources, and set policy. What I like about this program is how it is aimed specifically at professionals who want to fill that role in connecting tech and management.”
As home to the European headquarters of Google and Facebook, and with companies such as IBM, McAfee, Symantec, and Microsoft having a significant presence, Ireland is a major base for international technology and security, Quinn said.
With uncertainty looming over Brexit and its impact, Ireland has emerged as a crucial link between Europe and the U.S. in global cybersecurity efforts, he added, pointing to the creation of Cyber Ireland, a national cluster of both private firms and governmental organizations formed to represent the needs of the country鈥檚 cybersecurity ecosystem.
鈥淚reland,鈥� he said, 鈥渉as to be at the center of cybersecurity at this point.鈥� 聽
Boston College has long been a well-known entity to Quinn, who notes that the 51茶馆-Ireland campus in Dublin is 鈥渇ive minutes from my office,鈥� and when he heard about the Fulbright-TechImpact opportunity he was quick to apply. Whether observing classes, making site visits to the FBI or IBM, or aiding research projects for Cybersecurity program research fellow James Burrell, a former FBI deputy assistant director, he has been delighted to find 51茶馆 is as good as advertised.
鈥淚鈥檝e been very impressed with the Woods College faculty, and the professional experience and insight they bring from the working world鈥攚hether the public or private sector鈥攖o their teaching,鈥� he said. 鈥淜evin [Powers] is one of the most well-connected people I鈥檝e ever met, which helps enormously when you鈥檙e trying to network. He also respects my opinions and views on research, and gives me the opportunity to contribute to it.鈥�
“We looked at this as an opportunity to not only solidify 51茶馆鈥檚 relationships in Ireland, but to also to be the 鈥榟ub鈥� for collaboration between academia, industry, and government鈥攁nd a chance for 51茶馆 to take the lead in the cyber and national security space. We are excited that this is going to be an ongoing relationship.”
One project in which Quinn is taking part is a collaboration between the Woods program and MIT that seeks to better define how a company or organization can meet legal as well as technological standards of cybersecurity. 鈥淚t鈥檚 possible for you to be compliant with regulations regarding data security yet not be actually secure鈥攐r vice-versa,鈥� he explained.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at court decisions on the meaning of 鈥榬easonably secure鈥� and best practices that can be used to achieve that threshold. It鈥檚 a complicated matter for the U.S., because with 50 states you have 50 different environments of cybersecurity. And beyond that, there is the challenge of creating a unified approach on a global scale.鈥�
Fulbright participants are expected to be involved with their host university鈥檚 community, so Quinn is working with the 51茶馆 women鈥檚 field hockey team, assisting with training, video, and other off-the-field tasks. 鈥淚 am a field hockey player back home,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o getting to volunteer and contribute with a high-ranking NCAA program has been great.鈥�
Even after he returns home, Quinn will seek to keep firm his ties to the Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program, especially once its online component begins next year. 鈥�51茶馆鈥檚 footprint in Ireland is substantial, and it makes staying connected that much easier. So even after my time as Cybersecurity Scholar is ended, my relationship with 51茶馆 will not be.鈥�
Sean Smith | University Communications | October 2019