MARQUETTE — The Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute (UPCI) at Northern Michigan University will host a cybersecurity symposium Tuesday, Aug. 30 through Thursday, Sept. 1. This inaugural event will bring together multiple state, federal and civilian cybersecurity resources to connect with regional cybersecurity practitioners and decision makers. The UPCI is able to offer the event free to participants, thanks to funding from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The schedule is tailored to allow for flexible participation across topics, including hands-on training and workshop activities. It revolves around distinct themes for each day, as follows:

Aug. 30: Cyber Resilience. Short workshops designed to help attendees understand their current posture and increase their cyber resiliency. Small-group sessions with federal and state resources allow participants to review topics from the workshop specific to their sectors. The day also includes a fireside chat with Jayson Cavendish, Deputy CSO Michigan DTMB; an unclassified threat briefing; and a cyber resiliency workshop.

Aug. 31: Incident Response Planning Exercise. Join the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) for a response planning and incident response workshop, followed by these breakout sessions: Michigan Cyber Partners monthly meeting; cybersecurity apprenticeship workshops; and incident response planning workshop and tabletop exercise.

Sept. 1: Connections and Resources. Participants will hear from and meet with federal, state and local cybersecurity professionals regarding resources, services and grants available to increase cyber hygiene in their organizations. Other activities include a keynote presentation by Chris Inglis of the DNC; breakout sessions on K12/local government cybersecurity grant opportunities and the NMU Cybersecurity Industry Advisory Committee; and a networking social from 5-7 p.m. to round out the symposium.

For more information, contact Doug Miller at the UPCI at doumille@nmu.edu or 906-227-1358. Register for the event here.