Hi! My name is Amy Zhang, and I am a rising junior in the School of Computing and Information. I am double majoring in Digital Narrative and Interactive Design and Information Science, with a minor in Computer Science. I am also pursuing a certificate in Public Communication of Science and Technology. On top of my interests in technology, I have a strong affinity towards writing and media studies. I have a background in english and journalism, and I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I write for the Pitt News culture desk, and I am co-webmaster and co-art director for The Pitt Pulse, Pitt’s Multidisciplinary Health & Science Magazine and Podcast. 

This summer, I am a research fellow in the Summer Honors Research Experience in Electrical Grid & Storytelling (SHURE-Grid). This program is a collaboration between the Swanson School of Engineering and the Idado National Laboratory, which is one of the 17 labs in the Department of Energy complex. In these past 6 weeks, we’ve delved into engineering problems and cybersecurity as they relate to society’s critical functioning, with two teams of student researchers investigating the electric grid, one team studying medical devices, and one team studying the water supply. The core principle of our research and deliverable material is a newer concept called Cyber-Informed Engineering, or CIE. CIE is consequence-driven and aims to prevent the worst-case scenario under a cyberattack, weaving in cybersecurity measures at every step of the engineering design process. 

This program is extremely interdisciplinary, and we engage in a wide scope of topics, particularly relating to securing the critical infrastructure of the United States. What drew me to the program was how it aims to connect engineering problems with societal issues and seeks to inform people without scientific or engineering backgrounds about cybersecurity issues. I think it is imperative in these times to understand how technological advances can have both intended and unintended consequences, and how our increasing interconnectedness and reliance on smart devices affects society at large. 

My team’s first Use Case is focused on the 2015 Ukraine power grid attacks, where Russian cyber actors disconnected breakers from the grid, leading to blackouts across the region. Currently, my teammates and I are working on completing an educational video and simulation depicting the scenario in order to educate the public about ways in which the U.S. is vulnerable to these attacks. We are also researching future policy pertaining to the power grid and proposing changes to organizational culture within the supply chain to mitigate the consequences of attacks like these.

I am very excited for the weeks to come, and I hope this summer allows me to delve deeper into research fields and expand my understanding of research opportunities here at Pitt. I think the SHURE-Grid Program will help me to gain skills and experience in technical writing and research for my future career– whether that be in industry or academia. Thanks for reading!