Feature Friday: Maggie Wu

Maggie Wu 's recent work exemplifies the critical nature of her research. She co-authored a timely and important data snapshot titled "Identifying Cyber Education Hotspots: An Interactive Guide" with Brian Love. This insightful report delves into the educational pathways of cybersecurity professionals, using CSET's novel cybersecurity jobs dataset to identify top-producing institutions of cybersecurity talent.

Her past research on anti-Asian hate on social media, which won the runner-up award at the 2023 ACM Web Science Conference, demonstrates her ability to apply data science techniques to pressing social issues. This combination of technical skill and social awareness makes her uniquely positioned to contribute to CSET's mission of analyzing the security implications of emerging technologies.

We're eager to hear more about Maggie's insights and her vision for the future of cybersecurity education and workforce development. Over to you, Maggie!

What are you most excited about what you are working on right now?

I am quite excited about our upcoming work on apprenticeship programs. Since I joined CSET, a bulk of my work has centered around understanding entry-level pipelines into the STEM workforce. Registered apprenticeship programs are one established avenue through which many other industries recruit talent, and in recent years, there has been a lot of buzz about applying this model to highly technical fields. In our case, we focus our project on the cybersecurity workforce, and we ask whether this model translates well for this industry and how we can improve the ecosystem.

Outside of work, what are your passions or hobbies?

I am a film photographer and I love being outdoors. Perhaps the latter is a bit influenced by the former, as I'm always trying to look for new places to photograph. In DC, some of my favorite spots are the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens in the springtime, the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens during the lotus and water lily festival, and all of the hidden pathways and trails in Rock Creek Park.

What is your favorite book or podcast, and why?

Recently, I read Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad and The Idiot by Elif Batuman (not Dostoyevsky). Enter Ghost is about a British Palestinian actress who returns to her homeland after many years to put on a production of Hamlet. The author describes her alienation and the reality of the situation in this sharp, precise prose that articulates so much of what is usually unnamed. The Idiot is a coming-of-age story about a college freshman who is just starting to learn about the "real world," and I loved spending time with the central protagonist and her thoughts.