Intelligent By Nature: Engineering Secure Ecosystems

Join us for Tech Week as we present an immersive showcase of the achievements and innovations of cybersecurity students in the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology's (WMCAT) Adult Career Training Program. Through WMCAT’s instructional partner, GRCIE – GRC for Intelligent Ecosystems – students have been participating in the GRCIE Green initiative. This event will highlight the students’ training in the future of cloud security, IoT, and sustainability.

Event Highlights:

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM - GRCIE Green: Training Innovation Discover GRCIE Green
A presentation celebrating student achievements with insights into our training modules, covering critical infrastructure, smart greenhouses, weather monitoring, and space weather data integration. We train future cloud security engineers and GRC professionals through hands-on projects, concluding with an audience Q&A session. There will be light refreshments, wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages available to attendees after the presentation.

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Networking and Hands-On Demos
Visit our Demo Hubs!

• VR Learning & Exploration
• Fish Cam!
• Space Weather Dashboards
• Cybersecurity Threat Modeling Demo
• Ambient Weather Station
• Student & Program Spotlight
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Key Components

Land: Smart greenhouses and aquaponics systems using IoT sensors and cloud technologies.
Air: Weather data collection and analysis for enhanced environmental monitoring.
Sea: Underwater sensors and cameras for real-time aquatic monitoring.
Space: Space weather data integration for advanced security applications.

Educational Focus

The program combines cloud computing with IoT and sustainability, preparing students for industries including agriculture, environmental science, and critical infrastructure. Hands-on projects provide practical experience and the integration of machine learning, AI, and real-time data processing to ensure students are at the forefront of technological innovation. A detailed focus on compliance frameworks and security services prepares students for complex regulatory and security challenges. Enterprise System Simulation Mimicking an enterprise project setup with roles such as Program Manager, Project Manager, GRC Teams, Audit Teams, Cloud Security, Greenhouse Technicians, External Developer, Cloud Instructor, and GRCIE Leadership as Program Owners, the GRCIE Green initiative ensures students are equipped to develop and manage secure, trustworthy systems in their future careers by emphasizing Digital Trust principles like data integrity, security, transparency, and sustainability.

This event is part of Tech Week's commitment to developing the region's tech talent pipeline, fostering a cohesive innovation ecosystem, and driving growth and technological advancements. We are excited to present the work of our diverse student body and demonstrate how GRCIE Green is preparing tech innovators for the future. Employers are invited to bring their open positions and meet talented individuals ready to drive innovation in their organizations.