Chengyi Qu teaches Florida Gulf Coast University students how to be hackers — in a good way. An assistant professor in computer science, Qu is the director of FGCU’s EagleCyberNest Cybersecurity Experiential Learning Lab, where students have the chance to work on some of today’s most pressing cybersecurity issues. “We study how to protect everyday smart devices — like home cameras, doorbells, health monitors and connected appliances — from cyber threats,” Qu said about the lab’s work. “These devices, often called the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), are becoming part of daily life — but many are not designed with strong security in mind.” Qu joined FGCU in 2023 to teach cybersecurity courses and help build out the university’s computer science bachelor’s and master’s programs. He realized that with the computer science industry so in flux, the best way to supplement students’ classroom learning and remain on the cutting edge of cybersecurity was to give them hands-on experience. Under his guidance, nine students have been working on projects dealing with financial technology, protecting senior citizens from hackers and artificial intelligence scams and how to utilize quantum computers transportation systems. And as a part of identifying system vulnerabilities and creating new programs, students must learn how to engage in what’s called “ethical hacking.” One of those students, Sean Peppers, won two awards at an ethical hacking debate competition last fall. He describes ethical hacking as being a situation in which “all parties are agreed and have consented to this so that you are able to ensure that their system is more robust.” “Obviously, there’s no way of making a perfect system. But if you have an attacker go in it, then you can better understand where your vulnerabilities might be,” said Peppers, a computer science major who focuses on intelligent systems, networking