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Empowering the Next Generation

Hosted at the University of Washington Bothell, the 2026 CyberAI Conference offers students a unique bridge from classroom theory to industry reality. This year's event features an inspiring keynote talk on AI defense and an industry panel where leaders from top tech firms discuss the evolving landscape of digital security.

Students can gain practical experience through hands-on workshops led by security experts and network with recruiters at our dedicated career panel, designed to launch the next wave of cybersecurity professionals.

Event Date : May 29, 2026

Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm

Location: North Creek Events Center (NCEC) and Discovery Hall (Disc-061)

"Preparing students for the threats of tomorrow, today."

Event Highlights

Keynote: The Future of Security is AI

In this keynote, cybersecurity leader Eva Benn explores how AI is transforming the future of security, why traditional career paths are rapidly changing, and why students today have more opportunity than any generation before them to make an impact. From AI-powered cyber attacks to the rise of autonomous agents and entirely new careers that did not exist a few years ago, this session breaks down the future in a way that is practical, inspiring, and accessible.

Industry Panel: AI vs. Cybersecurity: Arms Race or Force Multiplier

Listen to experts from Microsoft discuss how AI is being used by both attackers and defenders, and whether it is driving an arms race or improving productivity in cybersecurity.

Hands-on Workshops

Join security practitioners for an interactive workshop where you’ll learn how to identify, analyze, and mitigate potential threats in real-world systems.

Career Panel & Networking

Connect directly with industry professionals. Gain insights into the most in-demand skills in the AI-driven security market.

Student Research Posters

Explore innovative research from students showcasing fresh perspectives on today’s cybersecurity challenges.

Eva Benn

Keynote Speaker

Eva Benn is a multi-award-winning cybersecurity leader, educator, and TEDx speaker with over 12 years of experience in security and ethical hacking. She has spent the last 7 years at Microsoft and previously led cybersecurity initiatives at a Big 4 consulting firm for some of the world’s largest companies. A Foster School of Business alumna in Information Systems, Eva is known for making complex topics like AI threats, ethical hacking, and attacker psychology engaging and accessible.

Jeet Shah

Hands-on Workshop: AI Assisted Security Review

Jeet Shah is a Senior Application Security Engineer with Chime and leads their Penetration Testing program in the Product Security division. He's an author of the CyberSecurity Risk Management book published by American Society for Quality and has over 6 years of experience in the Offensive Security space and specifically in the Application Security domain.

Adam Shostack

Speaker: Threat Modeling in the Age of AI

Adam is President and Distinguished Engineer at Shostack + Associates. He’s the author of Threat Modeling: Designing for Security and Threats: What Every Engineer Should Learn from Star Wars. He’s a leading expert on threat modeling and a game designer. He has decades of experience delivering security and ranges across the business world from founding startups to nearly a decade at Microsoft.

Microsoft Industry Panel

Panelists: Jerry Jimenez, Basma Basem , Armora Rama, Lydia Jensen

Moderator: Caroline Song

Career & Networking Panel

Panelists: Tony North (City of Seattle), Neesha Shantaram (Salesforce) , Princeton See (PACCAR) , Neha S (JPMorgan Chase)

Student Registration

Student Registration is free for all UW students but REQUIRED.

Please register by May 15th to secure your spot to access exclusive workshops, the industry panel, and networking events. Limited spots available.

UPDATE: Registration is now closed. If you would still like to attend the event, please contact geetha@uw.edu

Conference Schedule

9:30am Doors Open

10am - 10:45am Keynote Talk (Location: NCEC) (Speaker: Eva Benn)

10:45- 11:00am Networking Break

11:00am -12 noon Microsoft Industry Panel “AI vs. Cybersecurity: Arms Race or Force Multiplier” (Location: NCEC)

12 - 1 pm Student Research Posters Showcase and Lunch (Discovery Hall 061)

1:00- 2:00pm Threat Modeling in the Era of AI (Discovery Hall 061) (Speaker: Adam Shostack)

2:00 - 3:00pm AI Assisted Security Review Hands-on Workshop (Discovery Hall 061) (Jeet Shah)

3:00 - 4:00pm Career Development and Networking Panel (Discovery Hall 061)

Organizing Committee

Dr. Geetha Thamilarasu, Associate Professor, Director of Cybersecurity Initiatives, UW Bothell

Caroline Song, School of STEM and CSS Technical Advisory Board Member

Contact

For questions about the event, please contact geetha@uw.edu