These are exciting times for the tech-minded. The maker movement is in full swing, with inventions such as the 3-D printer making it feasible to undertake projects that were once prohibitively expensive.

Cyberspace: The new frontier. And criminals are lurking in the protection of its depths. With the rapid evolution of technology and our nation’s ever increasing dependence on digital data, cybercrime is on the rise.

Astrophysicist Carl Sagan was famous for his use of the word “billions.” As he liked to remind viewers of the TV show Cosmos, a galaxy is composed of billions upon billions of stars.

The events are intense. They’re fun. And they help cyber security bachelor’s degree students put the concepts they’ve learned into practice, testing their skills against competitors in a real-time environment.

As in any technical discipline, cybersecurity students learn to master the tools and resources needed for the work they do.

It’s the passport into a world of opportunities within government, defense, and other sectors: a security clearance. For students in some fields, such as cybersecurity, being able to obtain one is an absolute must.

It’s the moment every astronautical engineer involved in satellite missions looks forward to: the launch date.