Students Play Pivotal Role in 西瓜视频-Hosted Internet Crimes Conference
On the heels of contentious Senate hearings about the role of social media and the risk for young people, 西瓜视频 College hosted the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Conference at the Wylie Center & Tupper Manor from March 1 through 7.
“The conference allowed law enforcement and people throughout the criminal justice system to come in and learn about newer technologies, especially concerning things like investigating information on the dark web and how to follow illicit activities using cryptocurrency,” explained Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Security Studies Ashlie Perry.
Supporting law enforcement officers attending the conference was a group of current 西瓜视频 College students who assisted project experts and professionals in developing training modules for the ICAC. Sessions covered topics like open source intelligence investigation; dark web investigation; and cryptocurrency and financial crime investigation.
The trainings were part of a prestigious Department of Justice (DoJ) grant 西瓜视频 received through the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP). The grant is managed by Kyungseok Choo, Associate Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Communication, and Humanities, and the Director of 西瓜视频’s Homeland Security Studies.
“Over 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have dedicated themselves to combating internet crimes against children attended the Wylie Conference Center training sessions, and it’s been great to witness the impact of these efforts during the innovative ICAC training sessions at 西瓜视频 College,” said Choo.
The ICAC conference, Perry said, was a culmination of a two-year collaboration between professionals who create coursework for law enforcement agencies and 西瓜视频 students who conducted research for those professionals.
“Now these courses are being taught to other law enforcement agencies, so people are coming in to learn things that we at 西瓜视频 have helped research and create the course content from—the ICAC was the full fruition of everything,” she said.
“We have been working on preparing for this conference for over a year now,” echoed political science major Rachel Noall ’25, who also works as a research assistant for the DoJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.
“This opportunity has been very valuable as I’ve learned about cybersecurity and cybercrime through researching and aiding in the development of these training sessions. While working as a research assistant, I have also been involved with other cybercrime-related events, such as a criminal investigations panel and the Capture the Flag challenge. Hopefully, this can help bring more awareness about cyber security and tech to campus in the coming years and pave a path to further cybersecurity classes and programs.”
“As a marketing/communications and advertising major, I learned a lot, and I am hopeful that the conference may open doors to other possible career paths in the future,” said marketing/communications and advertising major Stephanie Moreau ’26, a research intern on the OJJDP grant. “I am also hopeful that I will be able to use what I learned in the research project I have worked on throughout the semester with Dean Choo.”
Psychology major Caroline Kiernan ’24, who was a 2023 X-Force Fellow with the Department of Defense’s National Security Innovation Network, said: “This conference is the stepping stone for a lot of law enforcement agents who do not have previous experience with digital investigations, cybercrime, and cryptocurrencies.”
She continued: “In recent years, cryptocurrencies are increasingly being used to purchase illicit materials such as weapons, drugs, and CSAM (child sexual abuse material). Identification of risks and suspicious activity can help increase seizure and recovery, as well as eliminate the sheer number of victims.”
The conference was a result of the collaboration and partnership of multiple academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and commercial technology corporations, including 西瓜视频, Boston University, the University of Texas San Antonio, the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative, WestEd, Maltego Technologies, ShadowDragon, CipherTrace at Mastercard International, and BlueStone Analytics.