HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — A Northern Kentucky University student has been selected to represent the United States on the first ever U.S. Women’s Cyber Team.

What You Need To Know

  • Sarah Ogden was selected to be on the first U.S. Women’s Cyber Team

  • The team will compete in global cybersecurity competitions while serving as ambassadors, with the goal of increasing the number of women in cybersecurity

  • In a world increasingly dependent on technology and vulnerable to attacks, women like Ogden are needed

  • Ogden is going into her second year at Northern Kentucky University, but she’ll be a junior by credit hours

The team is made up of a group of highly skilled women passionate about increasing the number of women in cybersecurity. Spectrum News 1 spent some time with Sarah Ogden to see up close how she puts her skills to use, and how she hopes they’ll inspire future generations.

Ogden is going into her second year at NKU, but she’ll be a junior by credit hours. The cybersecurity—data science double major always seems to be one step ahead. She will graduate with honors in 2027.

“My dad calls me tech support when he can’t figure out how to turn on the TV,” she said, laughing. “I’ve always been interested in programming. I did lots of programming type camps when I was younger.”

That’s when she learned about cybersecurity competitions. The two primary types consist of Jeopardy! style puzzle questions, and team attack defense.

“We kind of all huddle up and we try to make the computers as secure as possible while you’re getting attacked,” Ogden said. “I was like, this is really fun. I have to do this.”

When Ogden came to NKU, she impressed computer science professor Maurine Doyle right away.

“I think her curiosity drives her, and her interest,” Doyle said. “She just was a great student. But then she came in and she said, ‘What’s this about this women in cybersecurity group?’ It had kind of died out a little bit. So she said, ‘Who do I contact, what do I do?’”

Ogden and a friend helped reconstitute the group.

She also has competed in cybersecurity competitions for NKU, successfully to no one’s surprise.

After competing in the U.S. Cyber Open, she was selected to be on the first ever U.S. Women’s Cyber team.

“I read the email, and I was like, ‘no way!’ So I ran downstairs to my parents, and I was like, ‘Look at this! Check it out,’” she said.

The team will compete in global cybersecurity competitions while serving as ambassadors, with the goal of increasing the number of women in cybersecurity.

“When you look at the disparities between how many guys are in cyber versus how many girls are in cyber, it’s like, okay, if we can get girls interested in cyber, that would make a huge difference in the cybersecurity workforce,” Ogden said.

In a world increasingly dependent on technology and vulnerable to attacks, women like Ogden are needed.

“When you’re working in cybersecurity, there’s never a moment where you’re like, ‘Oh, they don’t need me.’ Because even if they don’t know they need you, they need you,” she said.

Doyle agreed.

“There is an advantage to seeing people that look like you in the field. And unemployment in cybersecurity is quite high. And with Artificial Intellience coming in, there’s gonna be even more jobs,” she said.

Ogden is one of 12 women chosen for the semi-pro esports team. She will travel to Tokyo in November to participate in a special women’s cyber games exhibition at the 2024 Code Blue Conference.

An event celebrating the commissioning of the U.S. Women’s Cyber Team will be held at the United States Capitol Building on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

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