KU, FBI cybersecurity conference April 4 to include keynote from FBI Director Christopher Wray

LAWRENCE — Members of the University of Kansas community and the public are invited to attend an upcoming cybersecurity conference that will bring together experts in the field from industry and research.

The FBI & KU Cybersecurity Conference: Bridging the Knowledge of Government, Industry Workforce and Research is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 4 at the Kansas Union on KU’s Lawrence campus.

The event is $25 and is open to the public, but registration is required to attend. Members of the media wanting to cover the conference need to contact Bridget Patton, FBI public affairs specialist, at 816-512-8200 or by email for credentials.

Chancellor Douglas A. Girod said that as cybersecurity continues to pose a serious threat to the economy and national security, KU can help address this challenge.

“We are educating the next generation of cybersecurity-minded leaders and continuing our cutting-edge research and tech development in cybersecurity-related fields,” Girod said. “KU has the infrastructure and talent to be a national leader in this space, and this conference is a great way to help us fulfill that role.” 

Christopher Wray, FBI director, will be the first keynote speaker at 8:35 a.m.

Conference highlights include: 

• Keynotes from Wray and Stevan Bernard, chief executive officer for Bernard Global LLC.
• Featured speaker U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran.
• Remarks from university and FBI leaders.
• Top KU researchers discussing the latest research on cybersecurity, including such topics as resiliency, trust and disinformation.
• Panel of industry and government stakeholders on best practices and potential threats/attacks.
• Breakout sessions on topics like Snake malware and skills for the cybersecurity professional.
• Student poster presentations highlighting current KU research.

Additional information is available at the conference website.