MEET THE Team

  IN LOVING MEMORY: FrankLin Zhang

Franklin was a freshman majoring in Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech with a passion for technology and math. He was not only brilliant, but also very kind, humorous, and always willing to help others. His creativity and wittiness brought so much to our team, and his impact will always be remembered.

About Us

We are a team of three students from Virginia Tech dedicated to creating engaging and educational tools for internet safety. With a passion for cybersecurity, we're developing a Chrome extension designed to help users of all ages navigate the web safely. Our goal is to make online safety accessible, interactive, and fun by blending technology with creative design. By empowering people with essential cybersecurity knowledge, we hope to foster confident, responsible, and informed digital citizens.

Q&A

1.  What inspired your team to focus on cybersecurity and phishing protection? 

Our inspiration comes from both our academic backgrounds in computers, surveys, and personal experiences with phishing. We recognize the significant risk phishing poses to individuals and businesses alike and how much threat are often overlooked. We wanted to create a solution that educates people in an engaging, hands-on way, making it easier for them to understand and protect themselves.

2.  How does your team approach problem-solving when developing solutions for online safety? 

We take a collaborative approach, blending empathy with technical knowledge. By incorporating design thinking and user feedback, we ensure our solutions are effective and user-friendly. We focus on simplicity and interactivity, creating experiences that educate and empower users, helping them feel confident in their ability to recognize and avoid phishing threats.

3.  What makes your team uniquely qualified to address online security challenges and educate others?

Our team combines a passion and deep understanding of cybersecurity principles with real-world, hands-on experience. Each of us has exposure to tackling cybersecurity challenges and we’re passionate about educating others. We’ve also experienced phishing firsthand, which gives us an empathetic perspective on the problem. With our diverse skill set, we bring together the technical, practical, and educational elements to create effective and engaging solutions.