USD Magazine Spring 2021

Women PeaceMakers receive training and tools [ p a r t n e r s h i p ] C Y B E R S P A C E P R O T E C T I O N

expanded to include students from Juan Diego Catholic High School in Salt Lake City. “It is amazing to look back on the past 10 years and see how my first internship has impacted my career path and enabled me to work on research that can shape the future of medicine,” Day says. “I’m grateful to the donors at the ALSAM Foundation as well as the science faculty members at USD for giving me and other students the opportunity to enrich our in- terests in science.” Since it began, 39 USD faculty members have participated in the program, which gives high school students the chance to work with university professors and students, participate in on-campus summer research opportunities and hands- on workshops, enhance STEM skills and create relationships with role models and mentors. This ap- proach enhances academic success and career achievement for all stu- dents, but especially for those who are underrepresented in STEM de- gree programs and professions. Hannah Otte ’19 (BA), another Mater Dei student, also partici- pated in Bridging the Gap and graduated from USD with a de- gree in biology. “It’s hard to believe my very first lab experience was about seven years ago with Dr. (Nathalie) Reyns in marine biology,” Otte recalls. “Learning how research was done in an academic setting was hugely impactful to me.” Today, Otte (pictured) works at Illumina, a global leader in genomics. She supports projects with the company’s microarrays and sequencing-based COVID-19 diagnostic test. “I realized how much I enjoy teaching and collaborating with others,” Otte continues. “The fi- nancial support and stipends al- lowed me to fully pursue these re- search opportunities, as I worked part time during semesters and full time during the summers.”

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by Liz Harman

ore than 1,000 women are working with the Kroc School’s Institute

and public Wi-Fi risks. Partici- pants reported that they would change online behaviors and account settings. Each received a free virtual product network (VPN) product license and soft- ware to protect themselves and their organizations. “This training gave me the tools and knowledge I need to feel more free to implement my peacebuilding work, without jeopardizing safety,” says one local women peacebuilder. “I am grateful for the Norton- LifeLock partnership,” says Jennifer Bradshaw, Kroc IPJ’s women, peace and security officer. “These women are strong, and experts in the field of peacebuild- ing. The training they are receiv- ing will allow them to continue to build a safer and stronger future for their communities.”

themselves and their families at risk. The need to work online has exacerbated these risks by making sensitive information more readily available. For example, one former Women PeaceMakers fellow expe- rienced daily threats and harass- ment on Facebook. Fearing for her and her family’s safety prompted her to hold back at times from sharing vital information with her communities. Other women peacebuilders have faced harass- ment, detainment and arrest. To address these threats, women from around the world participated in the first training session held in the summer of 2020. Post-training surveys found that the women’s understanding of key aspects of cybersecurity doubled in nearly every category, including mobile device security

for Peace and Justice (Kroc IPJ) to end cycles of violence around the world. As the COVID-19 pandemic has required them to move more of their peacebuilding work online, they face greater cybersecurity threats. To help these women drive their vital work forward, Norton- LifeLock — which helps secure devices, identities and online privacy — has partnered with the Kroc IPJ to provide software and training to protect them. According to the United Na- tions, peace agreements involving women are 64% less likely to fail. But as women work on disarma- ment, mediation and other criti- cal policies, they often challenge existing power structures, putting

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Spr ing 2021