DEF CON 33 is here! This year, our team will be joined by incoming Capitol Tech PhD student, Carmela Gonzales, at our booth XZBT-03 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. We invited Carmela to share her journey in cybersecurity education and what it means to both attend and represent Capitol Tech at the world’s best hacker convention. Read her first post below and come say hello in Las Vegas August 7–10!
My name is Carmela Gonzales, and I am excited to start my PhD in space cybersecurity at Capitol Technology University this fall. I chose Capitol Tech for its commitment to emerging technologies, interdisciplinary research, and thought leadership. I first learned of Capitol Tech through my contributions to Cybersecurity Forum Initiative (CSFI), where I supported lab validation for CSFI President and Founder Dr. Paul de Souza, a Capitol Tech alumnus whose cyber leadership continues to inspire my path.
My journey has been nonlinear but intentional. I started at community college, taught myself cybersecurity toward the end of my undergraduate studies, and moved to Washington, DC to pursue my master’s in engineering at George Washington University (GW). While at GW, I co-founded the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS GW) chapter. I worked at the U.S. Department of State and Intel Corporation, focusing on emerging technology policy initiatives. As I enter my Capitol Tech program, I will also be starting as an adjunct faculty member at another college teaching cybersecurity.
This summer, I was selected as a 2025 Hacker Summer Camp Scholar, an award given to ten professionals to attend four cybersecurity conferences in Las Vegas from August 4–10: The Diana Initiative, SquadCon, Black Hat USA, and DEF CON.
At DEF CON 33, I look forward to attending technical workshops, volunteering at the Aerospace Village, and representing Capitol Tech in building our cybersecurity presence. I will engage with students, researchers, and professionals in conversations about STEM outreach, cybersecurity, and the future of space systems. I will also participate at the I Am the Cavalry track at BSides, led by Beau Woods, which focuses on public-interest cybersecurity. I have attended DEF CON in the past and truly enjoy the unique experience of getting to meet top professionals in the field, explore hands-on demonstrations, and see the newest cyber tech. My interests at DEF CON span AI, aerospace, hardware and embedded systems, human factors, policy, quantum technologies, and telecom.
Thanks to the Hacker Summer Camp, I have the rare opportunity for hands-on learning, ethical hacking, tech showcases, and global networking that continue to shape my academic and professional journey.
Written by Carmela Gonzales