MEET THE HERD

USF CyberHerd was formed in Fall 2023 by the College of Engineering's Department of Computer Science & Engineering, with funding from Cyber Florida (the Florida Center for Cybersecurity), to train students to compete in national-level cybersecurity competitions -- and win!

The team is scoring major victories, taking first place in the 2024 NCAE Cyber Games SE Regional and taking home 5th out of 103 teams in the 2023 Department of Energy CyberForce Competition, beating teams from Penn State, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Virginia Tech.

CyberHerd's purpose is to improve USF's competitiveness in the broad field of cybersecurity, to improve visibility of the university and the College of Engineering's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and to highlight USF's ongoing investments in cybersecurity education.

CyberHerd Team

LEADERSHIP

Marbin Pazos-Revilla

Coach

Professor Marbin Pazos-Revilla

Click here for bio and contact information

Photo of Sriram Chellappan

Faculty Advisor

Professor Sriram Chellappan

Click here for bio and contact information

Waseem Albabba

Team Captain

Waseem Albaba 

Team roster:

Fagan Afandiyev

Fagan Afandiyev

Yousef Blassy

Yousef Blassy

Cameron Brauner

Cameron Brauner

Enes EJ Bulut

Enes "EJ" Bulut

CyberHerd Logo Placeholder

Jacob Cain 

Brandon Gonzalez

John "Jack" Trigg 

Jacob Hammargren

Jacob Hammargren

Person Icon

Iris Little 

Logan Mastin

Logan Mastin

Jason Rodriguez

Jason Rodriguez 

Nevin Southammavong

Nevin Southammavong 

John Jack Trigg

Brandon Gonzalez

John Jack Wansboro

John "Jack" Wansboro

UPCOMING COMPETITIONS

NEWS

Any given Sunday: CyberHerd wins NCAE Cyber Games SE Regional while maintaining grueling practice schedule

February 26, 2024 NCAE may be considered an entry-level contest by some, but it’s definitely not for beginners. Coach Marbin Revilla says, “The challenges are complex to solve and not only require the technical skills to succeed, but great coordination and teamwork.” 

CyberHerd NCAE SE Regional Win

USF CyberHerd takes 5th place at CyberForce 2023

November 4, 2023 The USF CyberHerd finished 5th place among 108 teams at the Department of Energy’s CyberForce 2023 competition, held on November 3 to 4, 2023, in St. Charles, Illinois. The CyberHerd team soared above 103 teams, including from Penn State, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Virginia Tech. See the full story here!

CyberHerd Group Shot

WHY JOIN CYBERHERD?

Students get the chance to travel to competitions world wide and compete against Ivy League Schools in challenging competitions. They get a rare opportunity to network with industry professionals who are sponsoring the events, and the opportunity to prove that USF is the best of the best in cybersecurity!

CyberHerd members get specialized coaching and instruction from CSE faculty, recognition of their abilities, and all-expenses-paid travel. You will have the chance to put your great skills in a highly competitive, collaborative, and rewarding team environment.

Joining the USF CyberHerd team is an excellent chance to gain valuable real-world experience, showcase your talent, and contribute to the reputation of the University of South Florida. Don't miss this opportunity to take your cybersecurity skills to the next level!

CyberHerd is looking for ambitious and competitive students interested in cybersecurity.

We are currently prioritizing students who are either currently skilled or looking to acquire skills in the following areas:

  • Capture the Flag Challenges
  • Reverse-Engineering
  • Programming
  • Cryptography
  • Documentation and Professional Writing

APPLY TO JOIN

Minimum Qualifications

  • USF undergraduate during spring 2024
  • Exceptionally strong cybersecurity skills
  • Good GPA
  • Demonstrated coursework in cybersecurity
  • Solid programming foundations
  • Good interpersonal and teamwork skills

Desired Qualifications

  • Possession of cybersecurity certifications
  • Prior cybersecurity competition experience
  • Experience with PowerShell, C#, C++, Go, Assembly, and Python
  • Applied Cryptography Skills
  • Graduation date beyond Fall 2024

If you meet the above qualifications and are interested in joining the CyberHerd Team, we invite you to submit your detailed CV to Professor Marbin Pazos-Revilla (marbin@usf.edu) for consideration. Please include your expected graduation date in the CV, and the scores of CTF platforms if you have any. Also please list relevant cybersecurity courses you have taken in college.

  • Make your CV stand out

    PRO TIP!

    When applicapable, highlight the qualificaiton criteria listed above where it appears on your CV or resume.

  • The selection process will be carried out by a committee of cybersecurity faculty members who will carefully evaluate each candidate's qualifications and experiences. If selected, you will have the opportunity to work closely with the committee in further preparations and training for upcoming competitions. Selected candidates will be expected to dedicate an average of 4 hours per week to in-person training and will be expected to travel for competitions. CyberHerd will cover all allowable travel and registration costs, as per USF policies. Additionally, support for infrastructure and training, deemed relevant for competitions, will be made available.

    CONTACT US

    Marbin Pazos-Revilla Email | 813-974-5043

    CyberHerd Victories

    Spring 2024

    INVEST IN THE HERD

    CyberHerd actively pursues partnerships with the cybersecurity industry  to enrich the student experience and guide their development, to meet the evolving workforce needs of this diverse and challenging field. Your involvement can help your company as you seek to hire the best and brightest students and graduates. The CyberHerd is a proving ground for cybersecurity expertise and professionalism.

    Learn more about our Computing Partners Program here.

    Learn how USF CSE benefits your business. Contact: 

    Dr. Ken Christensen

    Professor & Associate Chair of Undergraduate Affairs

    christen@cse.usf.edu

    813-974-4761

    Photo of Ken Christensen