Isabella Myer (Summer 2023)

Hello, my name is Isabella Myer, and I am a rising junior at the University of South Carolina, and I will be graduating in 2025. I am from Charlotte, NC, and I have lived here my entire life. I am currently majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Criminal Justice. I am interested in cybersecurity because it is an ever-changing field and there is so much to learn in this field. Learning network security is a crucial step to figuring out what path you would like to follow in the cyber world. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity with the ONR research team to expand my knowledge on cybersecurity and to make new connections. I cannot wait to work for the ONR team!

Andrew Smith (Summer 2023)

Hello, my name is Andrew Smith. I am from Columbia, SC, where I attend the University of South Carolina as a sophomore in the Integrated Information Technology program. I am highly motivated and interested in learning all things cybersecurity. I currently serve as the president of USC's student led cybersecurity club where we participate in cyber defense, hacking, and capture the flag competitions. My expected graduation date is May of 2026, after which I hope to start a career in cybersecurity. I enjoy taking every opportunity to expand my knowledge in IT, so working on this ONR project has been an excellent experience.

Ephi Zimmerman (Summer 2022)

Hello my name is Ephraim Zimmerman. I am a rising senior at the University of South Carolina. I am studying Integrated Information Technology and am currently interning at Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. I am hoping to learn more and strengthen my knowledge about Cyber Security. I found cyber security to be very interesting and an area that is growing more and more every day with our advancements in technology.

Anaia Prather (Summer 2022)

My name is Anaia Prather and I am senior majoring in Integrated Information Technology and minoring in Business Administration. I have an expected graduation date in December of 2022 and I am looking to get a career in cybersecurity. My interest began in my first networking class and I grew to love the curriculum once I began my advanced networking classes. I am hoping to further my knowledge and experience with this subject through the ONR project. I can’t wait to work with my fellow classmates and ONR team this summer!

Camila Pereira (Summer 2022)

My name is Camila Pereira and I am a rising senior from the suburbs of Chicago. I am majoring in Integrated Information Technology and minoring in Business Administration, and I plan to graduate in May 2023 with Leadership Distinction in Professional and Civic Engagement. I recently completed the Advanced Networking course where I was introduced to security concepts while working with a Palo Alto firewall in the university's cyber-infrastructure lab. This course further piqued my interest in cybersecurity and made me want to apply to the ONR project. I am very excited to work alongside the team to expand my knowledge in security topics that are increasingly important in our world!

Sean Batchelder (Summer 2022)

Hello, my name is Sean Batchelder and I am currently a junior majoring in information technology at USC Columbia. I have lived in the Columbia area my entire life. I found cybersecurity to be extremely interesting as well as essential to many industries that rely on technology. After going through the advanced networking course I have found there to be many potential areas that interest me, such as network security and penetration testing. I am excited to be working with ONR to further my skillset in such a rapidly developing field within technology.

Caroline Boozer (Summer 2022)

My name is Caroline Boozer, I am from a small town near Greenville, SC. I am currently pursuing two degrees, Computer Science and Cyber Intelligence, at the University of South Carolina, while also completing a specialization certificate in Cybersecurity. I also work for the UofSC Palmetto College IT department. I believe this combination will provide me with a strong foundation in different backgrounds to proactively use cyber forensics and techniques, to go on the offensive and make the world a safer place. As a youth living overseas, I was introduced early on to ransomware attacks like WannaCry. I have grown up with a constant reminder of the threats to our security; in particular regarding the cyber domain. This is the motivation for my choice of computer science, specifically, with an interest in cybersecurity. We must also understand how our world thinks and operates regarding these cyber issues which is why I have recently added a second degree in Cyber Intelligence. Take a passion and add an education, that is my idea of a career. Without passion, it is just a job! I am excited to participate in the ONR project to gain more practical experience and knowledge about cybersecurity by learning from others

Andrew Clements (Spring 2022)

Andrew Clements grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina and graduated from Spartanburg High School in 2000. He is married to Selena Clements his wife of 19 years, and they have three children Benjamin (12years-ols), Samuel (6 years-old), and Nathaniel (6 years-old). He enlisted in the U.S. Army after his junior year of high school and served from 1999 to 2016. After completing One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to be a Combat Engineer, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. HE also attended school for logistics at Fort Lee, Virginia and recruiting at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2004 to March 2005 and November 2005 to November 2006 and to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from June 2012 to February 2013. Andrew retired from the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant in 2016. After retiring from the U.S. Army, he attended Midlands Technical College and graduated in June 2019 with an Associates of Science. He is now a student at the University of South Carolina and will graduate in December 2022 with Bachelor of Science in Integrated Information Technology. He wants to join a company after graduation to design, implement, and secure computer networks.

Mark-Anthony Box (Spring 2022)

My name is Mark-Anthony Box and I'm from Greenville in the upstate. I'm a sophomore here at UofSC majoring in Integrated Information Technology with the intent to minor in Japanese. After graduation I plan on enlisting in the Navy and going for a cyber security position, as such both cyber security and networking have quickly become areas of significant importance to my studies.
I'm am thankful for being given the opportunity to work with other enthusiastic individuals as we further our knowledge as part of the ONR project.

Avery Schiro (Spring 2022)

My name is Avery Schiro, and I am from Staten Island, New York. I am a Junior here at the University of South Carolina and I am perusing my bachelor’s in integrated information technology with a mass communications minor. I plan to graduate May 2023. I used to be a visual communications major and have held a previous public relations internship in Manhattan. I switched into IIT sophomore year and have loved it ever since.
I am excited to work on the ONR project to expand my knowledge of cyber security and sharpen my skill set.

Talha Gill (Spring 2022)

My name is Talha Gill, and I am from Lexington, SC. I am currently a Senior in Integrated Information Technology at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). I am graduating this December 2022. I was originally on a pre-med track, but always had a love for technology. So, when the pandemic hit, it was a wake-up call for me to switch to IT. So, coming back to why I want to be part of this ONR project. Well, I took a class last semester Advance Networking, and enjoyed learning about the networking/security part of IT. So, when I heard about this opportunity, I jumped on it to help me further develop my networking skills and cybersecurity knowledge.

Samuel Dao (Spring 2022)

My name is Samuel Dao and I'm from Greenville, South Carolina. I am currently a sophomore pursing a bachelor's degree in Integrated Information Technology and a minor in Computer Science.
I am currently employed as an Undergraduate IT Technician for the CEC, and I am looking to further expand my knowledge in networking and cybersecurity.

The ONR project is the perfect opportunity for me to gain practical experience and to develop my cybersecurity skills.

Timothy Dao (Spring 2022)

My name is Timothy Dao, I'm a senior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a bachelor's in Integrated Information Technology and I plan to graduate this semester in May. I am originally from Greenville, South Carolina and came here in 2018 as a Nursing Major before changing to Information Technology. I interned this past summer and currently work at the University with the Division of Information Technology's network operations department doing break fix and service requests. I applied to the ONR project to develop my skills and I think that this project is a great opportunity to learn more about networking and security.

Gabriella Pinto (Spring 2022)

My name is Gabriella Pinto, and I am from Pittstown, New Jersey. I am currently a junior majoring in Integrated Information Technology and minoring in Business Management and Applied Computing at the University of South Carolina. At UofSC, I am the president of Women in Computing and the vice president of the Association for Information Systems.
Given the increased acceleration into the cloud, cybersecurity has become essential in preventing the attacks on businesses and individuals all around the world. I am excited to work together to research and deepen my understanding of ways in which we can best protect organizations from cyber threats.

Samuel Kelley (Spring 2022)

My name is Samuel Kelley, and I am a junior expecting to graduate a semester early in Integrated Information technology here at UofSC. I have been interested in technology for a long as I can remember building PC’s, tinkering with electronics, etc. I am extremely excited and thankful about the experience and knowledge I will gain from being apart of this project. Hopefully this will open future doors within cyber security or networking and allow me to be more prepared for the real world.

Dillon Barnhardt (Spring 2022)

My name is Dillon Barnhardt, I am a sophomore at the University of South Carolina in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Information Technology. I am currently in the South Carolina Army National Guard as a Nodal System Operator-Maintainer. I have also, been an IT Technician at Healthcare, SC LLC since April 2020 which I have been responsible for the IT department for two enterprise mattress manufacture buildings.
I am excited for the opportunity to be part of the ONR research to both gain experience with Palo Alto firewall and to bring a positive contribution to the ORN project.

David Williams (Spring 2022)

I am a Senior finishing up my last semester in Integrated Information Technology. An interesting fact is I first began pursuing my degree at USC in 2001, then life happened. I joined the NC Army National Guard in 2018 and deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield) December of 2019. I returned from deployment in September of 2020 and immediately returned to school to complete my degree. I hold Certifications in A+, Security+, and Cyber Security Analyst+ from CompTIA. I am a father of three children and am still active in the NC Army National Guard. I am currently pursuing opportunities in the Cyber Security Field and aspire to be a Chief Information Security Officer within the next five years.

Tucker Baron (Fall 2021, Spring 2022)

My name is Tucker Baron. I am from Beaufort, South Carolina. I am an Army ROTC cadet wanting to go into Cyber. I am a cyber intelligence major at the University of South Carolina.


I am participating in this research to help prepare me for working in cyber. I feel that this project will help me become a better cyber officer.

Jeremy Gill (Fall 2021)

My name is Jeremy Gill, and I am a Sophomore at the University of South Carolina in pursuit of my second degree as an Integrated Information Technology major. I served in the United States Air Force from 2013 – 2020 as a Cybertransport Technician (3D172).

During my enlistment, I contributed to the mission on the Korean Peninsula at Osan Air Base, missions Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel at Shaw Air Force Base and Al Udeid Air Base, and Sheppard Air Force Base as an instructor. Throughout my enlistment I have learned how to adapt and be flexible with various networking technologies. I am excited to continue to learn more about networking and cybersecurity.

Christian Tsirlis (Spring 2021, Fall 2021)

My name is Christian Tsirlis, I am from Emerald Else, North Carolina. I am currently a NROTC Marine Option student at the University of South Carolina and I am studying Cyber Intelligence.

I chose to apply for ONR to further my knowledge in networks in relation to cybersecurity. I have worked on this project in the past and it was a great learning experience. I am excited to continue to learn and grow in this research opportunity.

Cameron McDuffie (Spring 2022, Fall 2021)

My name is Cameron McDuffie and I'm from Sumter, South Carolina. I am a sophomore pursuing a bachelor's degree in Integrated Information Technology and plan to graduate in May 2024. I have some IT experience from working at a computer repair shop and the CEC help desk but want to further expand my networking and cybersecurity knowledge. I feel that participating in this research program will help me reach that goal.
I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the ONR project last semester, and look forward to another few months of research. This project has greatly increased my knowledge and awareness of modern cybersecurity attacks and mitigation strategies. I believe that working with these cutting-edge network appliances will not only further increase my knowledge, but better my chances of job opportunities in the future.

Jesse Leonard (Fall 2021)

My name is Jesse Leonard, and I am from Irmo, South Carolina. I am a senior studying Integrated Information Technology and expect to graduate in May of 2022. I have interned at BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, where I worked in infrastructure deployment.


I applied to work on the ONR project because it will allow me to enhance my cybersecurity skills and knowledge. I'm excited about the opportunity to learn as much as I can.

Brad Wilson (Spring 2021, Fall 2021)

My name is Brad Wilson, and I am from Beech Island, South Carolina. I am a senior at the University of South Carolina, studying Integrated Information Technology, on track to graduate in May 2022. I have interned at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions for the past two summers as an IT Customer Service Specialist with Computer Accounts, Mobility, and Multi-Factor Authentication, gaining tangible experience in those areas.

I choose to apply for ONR to further hone my networking skills and acquire training in cybersecurity. I am thrilled to be working on this project again and will utilize every opportunity to absorb as much knowledge as I can.

Hannah Gardner (Fall 2021)

My name is Hannah Gardner, and I am currently a 3rd year Integrated Information Technology student at the University of South Carolina. I am the president of AITP and a committee chair for the Carolina Global Scholars program. I am also studying Japanese, and I am hoping to study abroad in Japan prior to graduation.

I’m very excited for the opportunity to work on the ONR project and gain experience in cyber security.

Collins Khuu (Fall 2021)

My name is Collins Khuu and I am a third-year Integrated Information Technology major at the University of South Carolina. I am originally from Greenville, SC. Outside of the classroom, I am involved in the Vietnamese Student Association at UofSC.

I applied to the ONR project to further develop my networking skills and cybersecurity knowledge. I am excited to work on this project alongside my peers.

Nathan Long (Spring 2021)

My name is Nathan Long I am a Senior at the University of South Carolina, and I am from Columbia South Carolina. I am on my way to graduate in the spring of 2021 with a Integrated Information Technology Major. I developed a love for research of Cyber Security during my summer internship with AIG where I was an intern on the Cyber Threat Intelligence floor. My hope for the future is to continue pursuing a career in cybersecurity and be part of a red team at a company. I am excited to get some real world experience with cybersecurity and get to work along side students to accomplish this goal.

Zachary Fowler (Spring 2021)

My name is Zach Fowler, and I am from Charleston, South Carolina. I am currently a fifth year Integrated Information Technology student graduating in May of 2021. I originally came to South Carolina as an Exercise Science major with hopes of making it to dental school, but later on found that it was not the right fit for me. I switched into the IT program my junior year and have enjoyed it ever since.

I am excited to work on this project because it will allow me to hone my skills in cybersecurity, which is a career path I am most interested in.

Bryson Livingston (Spring 2021)

My name is Bryson Livingston, and I am a senior at the University of South Carolina pursuing a degree in Integrated Information Technology. I was born in Florence, South Carolina, and spent most of my life there, but I also lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for almost eight years. This semester is my last full-time semester here at USC as I will be completing my internship requirement during the summer then graduating in August. My internship will be at Sonoco in Hartsville, South Carolina, where I will be working in the Client Services IT division. My focus within information technology is networking. I was able to gain experience working with next-generation firewalls on the Palo Alto platform last semester, and I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to develop my cybersecurity skills through the ONR project.

Ty Love-Baker (Spring 2021)

My name is Ty Love-Baker and I am a senior at the University of South Carolina studying Integrated Information Technology. I am from Washington, D.C. and I began my degree in the fall semester, 2017. I recently graduated from the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, in Quantico, VA, where I found an interest for Cyber Warfare. I’m very interested in the operation, vulnerabilities and threats that involve Cyber Warfare. I’m looking forward to learning more about these concepts, and to meeting new people who are also participating in the research project.

Kyle Radzak (Fall 2020)

My name is Kyle Radzak and I am a Senior at the University of South Carolina studying Integrated Information Technology with a minor in Geography. I am from Inman, SC and I started pursuing my IT degree in the fall of 2017 with the intention of developing my skills in Networking and delving further into cyber security. I am currently a Resident Mentor on campus and have been for the past 3 years. I worked this past summer with Lowe’s Companies, Inc. where I helped analyze and tier third-party risk vendors for the cyber security division in the company. I am very excited to be a part of this project and it will be a great way to develop my skills in networking alongside cyber security. I hope to use this in future for my career or other personal endeavors.

Ryan Tallent (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)

Ryan Tallent is currently an Integrated Information Technology Major, at the University of South Carolina – Columbia. He is an aspiring cyber security professional. He is working to become an expert in cyber security, cyber warfare, and digital forensics. He is also interested in data science and software engineering. He is building a knowledge base and skill set in the operation, vulnerabilities, threat detection, prevention and mitigation in computer systems, networks, and data systems. He grew up in Cedar City, UT and currently lives in West Columbia, SC. He is the owner and operator of Just Grindin’ Stump Grinding Service. In his former role as a Gunner’s Mate Second Class in the US Navy, he deployed with the Constellation Battle Group, in 2003, is support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Josue Hernandez (Fall 2020)

My name is Josue Hernandez. I am currently pursuing my bachelor's degree in Integrated Information Technology. I am currently a senior and am finishing my last semester at the University of South Carolina. I am from Lexington, SC, and have been a Gamecock all my life. I am very interested in expanding my knowledge and skills in cyber security. I am motivated by the fact that my talents are very in demand and could lead to a great job to provide for my family. I am also interested in cyber security since our world is so connected. There is so much risk in everything we do now, and someone must protect us. I am looking forward to working on my project and to learn from all the brilliant people participating in the research.

Lauren Waddell (Fall 2020)

My name is Lauren Waddell. As a native to Irmo, South Carolina, I always knew I would attend the flagship university of the state. As such, I’m currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Information Technology at the University of South Carolina. After completing classes such as IT Security for Managers (ITEC 493) and Cybersecurity Operations (ITEC 390), I became motivated to learn more about cybersecurity – not only because it’s a growing field with overwhelming opportunities, but also because it is of utmost importance in our technological environment. With more operations becoming increasingly digitized, it’s extremely important that our data is protected to the highest standards.

Christopher Ngo (Fall 2020)

Cadet Christopher Q. Ngo enlisted in the Army on February 7, 2018 in the Army Reserves . He conducted Basic Combat Training in Charlie Company 2nd Battalion 10th Infantry Regiment. Cadet Ngo later then completed 23 weeks of Advance Individual Training as an Distinguished Honor Graduate and was awarded the MOS of 25B, Information Technology Specialist. Cadet Ngo is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems at The University of South Carolina. Cadet Ngo is also in the Army ROTC Program at The University of South Carolina since 2019 and is in the Simultaneous Membership Program. His goal after his time at the University of South Carolina is to commission as a Second Lieutenant Cyber Operations Officer. Christopher Ngo is also involved in his local community, serving as a volunteer baseball coach, camp counselor, teaches leadership skills for marching band in his hometown Hilton Head Island, SC.

Jack Sadle (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)

My name is Jack Sadle. I am a cadet at the University of South Carolina Army ROTC Gamecock Battalion. I have been enlisted in the US Army Signal Corps as a 25B Information Technology Specialist since 2017. I am majoring in Integrated Information Technology with a minor in Military Science and will pursue a career as an officer in the US Army Signal Corps upon completion of my bachelor’s degree. During my time at the University of South Carolina I have helped to establish the USC Army ROTC Cyber Team and have worked for the USC Division of Information Technology in the Networking and Desktop Support departments. Throughout my career as an IT professional and as a soldier I have learned to identify how valuable and vulnerable data security can be. The future of warfare has as much to do with bits and bytes as it does with bombs and bullets. I am grateful for this opportunity to make myself a more well-rounded leader in the cyber realm.

Dakota McDaniels (Fall 2020)

My name is Dakota McDaniels and I am currently a senior in their last semester of an Integrated Information Technology bachelor’s degree. I am from Chapin, SC but have move all around the states due my dad’s time in the Army. In my early high school days, I took a networking/cybersecurity class and I was hooked on the two fields ever since. My growing passion in them has led me to have two internships in them and allowed me to work towards a career in them for over 6 years now. When I heard about this project I was extremely interested. I get the opportunity to do research on various topics that expand my knowledge base, as well as leading the effort to create a minor for the field that I hope others are as passionate about as I am.

Matthew Driver (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)

My name is Matthew Driver. I am currently a Senior in the integrated Information technology program working into cyber intelligence. I intend to graduate in pursuit of my master’s in information systems management at Harvard. I have been in the military for 7 years, one of which I was deployed to Syria. Being in the military has taught me the importance of communication and the need to be resilient at any moment. Having gained the versatility throughout my career, I have learned that establishing an inspirational environment will lead to the success of any project you are assigned. I am ecstatic to take on the ONR project and humbled for the acceptance and plan to have an immense impact to better this generations cyber.

Keegan Sprankle (Fall 2020)

My name is Keegan Sprankle and I am originally from Irmo, SC. I am a senior IIT major looking to expand my repertoire in Cyber Security.

My ultimate goal is to work as a penetration tester for a cyber security firm.

I currently work as an undergraduate research assistant for UofSC's IIT department focusing on reviewing and assessing educational lab documentation for Software Defined Networking, Border Gateway Protocol, Open vSwitch, and OSPF.

Brian Nelson (Fall 2020)

My name is Brian Nelson and I am currently a Senior Integrated Information Technology Major at the University of South Carolina.

I am married and have a 12-year-old son and my experience varies between commercial, military, and government positions. I have worked as a Sys. Admin for 9-1-1 systems, a Business Development Manager, and currently as a Senior Security Analyst.

I am excited to increase my technical acumen through this experience and be a part of a future minor offered by UofSC.

Nathan Bohmer (Fall 2020)

My name is Nathan Bohmer. I am a Senior Integrated Information Technology Student here at the University of South Carolina (UofSC). I am graduating this December 2020. I have always found an interest in computing. I originally started at UofSC in mechanical engineering but found that it was not the right fit. I learned about the IT major here and knew that this is what I wanted my degree in. After taking IT Security for Managers (ITEC 493) and a Computer Science elective (CSCE 201) in cyber security, I knew that I wanted to pursue security. My motivation for pursuing security is knowing that there is a growing need for security professionals, and that my work can help to make the digital world a safer place. Making the world a better place is crucial to me, and what better way to do so than with cyber security.

Brendan Curran (Fall 2020)

My name is Brendan Curran and I am a Senior at the University of South Carolina studying Computer Science.

I am also in the Gamecock ROTC battalion where I am training to be a US Army officer.

I am from Odenton, MD and have been pursuing my degree since the fall of 2017. I am excited to expand my knowledge of cyber security working on this project.