Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to "Who Are You?"

• 0:16 Who is Yusuf Usman?  

• 0:28 Yusuf’s Background & Journey to Quinnipiac 

• 1:50 How Yusuf discovered Quinnipiac by chance 

• 3:08 Why Cybersecurity? 

• 3:16 Working in Nigeria’s National Assembly IT Department  

• 4:19 Choosing Quinnipiac for Cybersecurity Studies  

• 5:31 Arriving at Quinnipiac as an International Student  

• 6:51 First Impressions & Support from International Student Office  

• 7:56 Getting Started in Research  

• 8:58 First Research Project: AI & Cybersecurity  

• 9:59 Expanding Research & Building a Research Team  

• 10:57 AI in Cybersecurity: Key Findings 

• 11:58 The Risks & Ethics of AI  

• 12:51 Yusuf’s Connection to NASA 

Transcript

Joel Vanner: Welcome to “Who Are You?” The Bobcats You know, the Stories You Don't. I'm your host Joel Vanner inside the podcast studio at Quinnipiac University and joining me today for Episode five is Yusuf Usman, Yusuf welcome to the show.  

Yusuf Usman: Thank you. Thank you for having me. 

 Joel Vanner: So I'm sure you can guess by the title of the podcast for what my first question to you is going to be. And that question is, who are you? 

Yusuf Usman:I am Yusuf. I'm originally from Nigeria, and then I'm graduate research assistant here at Quinnipiac University, working on the Department of Cybersecurity. 

Joel Vanner: And you're in the cybersecurity program, graduating this year. Tell me a little bit about how Quinnipiac came to be for you and what the story is there. I hear it's quite an interesting one. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, actually, my Quinnipiac journey journey is really funny because when I was searching for the school, looking for where to go to come to the US for my master's degree in cybersecurity, actually, Quinnipiac was not even in my list. So it's funny how I know about Quinnipiac, how I met Sarah Gardner, who's international student at admission Office in Quinnipiac she was in Nigeria for the, attend education event because a US embassy, they have, like, a program called Education USA. So they call all the school from the US to attend various countries where they can make student. So I was actually done with work going home, and then I saw the crowd going on. I was like, how's the branch here. So I went in there, and then I saw the event was going on. I attended to couple Universities, and then I was my way out. I think I even left the event. Then I saw the Quinnipiac logo. I was like, Yeah, this is interesting. So I went back in. I wanted to talk to her, the nurse. No, no, no. So I left. And then I went back in again. I talked to her. Do you guys have a cybersecurity major, this is what I'm interested in she was like, No, we have computers, and answer like, No, I'm interested in cybersecurity. So she was like, Oh, we don't have it now, but we'll let you know when we have one. So I work out. Then I went back in again and I was like, can we take a picture? So she was like, Sure, she went the Quinnipiac logo, and then we take a picture. And a year later, she sent me an email, Hey, you are interested in cyber security? We're going to study on campus this fall. I was like, Yeah, sure. She was like, Okay, you're the first person to reach out to. So let me know when you apply. So I submit my application and then I'm the first person to get admissions. So we are the first people on campus as a cybersecurity major at Quinnipiac an awesome story. 

Joel Vanner: The fact that you went back and connected with Sarah and got the picture, which you said you have, and we'll have to see that.  

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

 Joel Vanner: It's an awesome story.  

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, because it's like, I don't know. I left and Something was like, I didn't it meant to be, so here I am. 

Joel Vanner: Yep. What sparked your interest in cybersecurity? You mentioned you were coming from work. What We did you work before you? 

Yusuf Usman: So, I was working in Nigeria National Assembly where I worked with the Senate and the Congressmen in Nigeria. I was in the IT department. So we're having a lot of, you know, Nigeria is a little too big. We have a lot of populations, and then we are at number seven on the Internet users in the world. So we're pressing a lot of, like, cybercrime activities and also most especially email security. So I saw a podcast at YouTube video on Fred's Show about email security, actually. So one of the reasons I like cybersecurity inventure myself because people trust people they are doing business with and our area but sorry. But at the same time, the issue is raising is really becoming critical. So that's what I changed I was like, I think. I need to get into cyber security where we can help people with security in order to make the Internet secure and buy tablets for everyone. 

Joel Vanner: And what about studying cybersecurity in the US at Quinnipiac? What drew you to doing that? 

Yusuf Usman: So it's interesting one because when the US, sorry, the Quinnipiac was not on my list. And then when I talk to Sarah Gardner, we go through the when she sent me the link, I go through the professors who are teaching like one interested me that all of them are actually from the industry background. So I was like, Wow, this is going to be interested because there's a big gap between academic and industry. So when you see a course or a major, that the majority of the people who are teaching those courses are actually from the industry. Let me show you that you're going to learn something. So Pres Show and all the professor, they are open. We have Professor open, FBI and different backgrounds like, Okay, this is where I want to go. So I think that is one of the reasons I choose connect. 

Joel Vanner: Yeah, and that's really cool, right? Having professors who are in the field or have field experience and are coming back to teach, getting to have those connections. That's really great. We'll get into research and all of that in just a minute. So going back, you applied to the program. The first one admitted, the on-campus cybersecurity program. 

Yusuf Usman: Yes. 

Joel Vanner: Arriving to Quinnipiac tell me a little bit about what that experience was like. 

Yusuf Usman: I will say shout out to international student office. It's just like it's just like you coming back home because they always have so much organized committee. They call it a global partner which I'm proud of now. Be when I arrived at Quinnipiac even JFK, I was like, Sarah Drisco, Hey, I'm here. She was like, Okay, we get, what do you call it? Go taxi or something to pick you at the airport. So do you have to pay for this, she, No. The school pay for you. I was like, Whoa. So it's interesting. I got me here, and then there's a lot of student, international students are local who are here to welcome moscs to our campuses, our dome, and where are we supposed to live. They even have some welcome package, some snacks or something. You tire, go and get some rest. People carry your bag, take you to where you're supposed to be. So it's really like you coming back home, your cousins are there to welcome you. So it's really interesting. 

 Joel Vanner: I bet that helps with the stress, right, coming all the way here and having a group to welcome you and get you into the right place. That's awesome that you had that experience it was amazing  

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, it’s amazing because imagine having like 18 to 20 hours flight, you get here, and then you have people to carry your bag and get you where it's supposed to be. This is really good experience, honestly. 

Joel Vanner: Yeah, that's awesome to hear. So I mentioned earlier your research. Tell me a little bit about your research experiences, how you got started in research, and then we can go into the research that you're doing yourself now. 

 Yusuf Usman: So when I got here, I said, Hey, you one of our post graduate assistants. We actually don't have any graduate assistant. You guys are going to be the first one to up in the way if we're going to continue this program on now. So you'll be working with the professor in the security research, cybersecurity research, and also you'll be working with Fresho as a admin assistant. So it's like, Okay, I actually didn't have much idea or experience about research. So gladly, the professor actually is a very good one. He actually teach me and show me how to carry out research. So we did a quite wonderful research before he left he moved to somewhere else, and then I continued doing research on myself later on with the help of the dean of the School of Computer Science, Taskier. So he's the one actually now supervising us. I'm leading the research group. We have a whole research team. I started alone. Now we have a whole research team. So at least we're going somewhere. 

Joel Vanner: Wow. It's a lot of firsts for you. That's awesome that you've established a whole team there. What kinds of research did you work on with the cybersecurity professor when you first got started? 

Yusuf Usman: So first when we first started, we started, he said, like, if you have any topic that you want to work on, we can work on it. But if you don't have any, I can give you sums. Like, so I gave him a list of topic that I want to. One of the thing is can AI help you when we do carry out research on how to use AI in protecting your data to email security and other activities. So which was actually very quite popular paper now on the Internet, and then we got a lot of citation on that and people are reaching out to like, Hey, how did you do this, whatever? And then when we present the people, I actually being one of the best people during that time, as well. 

 Joel Vanner: Wow, that's awesome. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah. 

Joel Vanner: And now fast forwarding, you're doing your own research. You're getting support from the Dean of the School of Computing and Engineering. Tell me a little bit about the research that you're doing now and where that's connected. 

Yusuf Usman: Okay, so still my research focused actually on AI and machine learning in cybersecurity. So still I'm focusing on that. And now we also the group we are working with, we have barriers to the topic. Some are working on the earthquake prediction, some are working on the content computing, and then some are working on AI in security as well. So I think that is where we're heading too. We're trying to see if we can make aQuinnipiac Research Institute, because most of the specialists grew up engineering and computer science. We don't have any research or research team. So this is the first research team. And also, we hopefully to make Quinnipiac Institute like school around the country.  

Joel Vanner: So talking about your research, you mentioned it was on AI, which is a pretty big topic today. Tell me a little bit about what you found in that research and what it was about. 

 Yusuf Usman: So actually, what we did in the research, you can see from the name of the title of the paper, Can AI help you? It means like actually can AI actually help you when you think of it? Like, you use AI in day to day activities almost every day in our life, all people use AI. But when you search or for your information, where is that data going, who is going to get access to that data? Was the AI saving the data, if it's saving it for who and who is going to take a look at that. It can be on the hand of a bad guy or a good guy or any person because if you see one of the simple thing you do if you write a text message, or you ask charge if it is something. And then you give you answer if you say, No, do better. You know, you don't have to write the question again, right? It will just do a better. That just means you already have the memory or what you ask first. So you're going to do something better or change it. All you need to say, add this to this time or remove this, it will just remove it. So that means the first question you ask, the charge DP or any tools you use, you already save that. So it's a s. You can put your resume, data, you can put your data, social, what people put every kind of things there. So in day to day activities. So that is really a concern, something concern that people should be concerned about. AID is a good thing. Be use it, it helps people. But at the same time, it's kind of like a little bit scary because at the end of the day, we're going to come back and try to fix it, try to fight. AI, it is not thinking. And then, for me, I always say, like, AI is as dangerous as global warming. I think people should be careful what they use AI for. But I always encourage people to use AI because my research always focused on AI and insecurity. 

Joel Vanner: Absolutely. Give it only what it needs and nothing more. Yeah, nothing more. WSA has that. You can't pull it out, right? Because definitely model there. Wow, that's really awesome research. Speaking of connections to your research, you have a connection to NASA with your research. Tell me a little bit about that connection there and what that research has been about. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah. So actually, when the former professor left, Okay, before he left, we write a proposal, we submit a grant to NASA requesting for I to do research in five G and six G and beyond wireless communications. And then we got approval. I think it's 20 or 40 grand. I can't remember exactly the amount of the money we got for NASA to carry out those research. So those research is also about so I would say, network security. So it's all our research focus on network security, which is we carry out to reduce the network trafficking and then security issue of the network, which we have like almost, I would say, 50%. I sorry 95% accurncy with the research we carry out, and then we got an award on that during the NASA poster presentations at New England Air Museum. Wow. 

Joel Vanner: Awesome. So you presented your research at the New England Air Museum. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, yeah, yeah we presented our research poster, and we sum we were able to also produce two research paper on that side. We produced a poster, we presented at New England Air Museum with the team, which are the two undergrad students and computer science major. 

Joel Vanner: Wow. That's awesome. And you're mentioning team and the research team that you've helped establish, right, in the area of cybersecurity. I'm sure throughout all of these research experiences, you've accumulated quite a network around you. Tell me a little bit about the network and just being able to meet others and how that's impacted you. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah. So actually, I was able to meet couple a lot of people from when I came here, I don't know nobody, actually. Yeah. So also, I was able to meet a lot of people from Ramos, especially anytime I went out to do presentations to attend conference to presen our work. People will be quite interested in that. So they reach out. So I meet a lot of people from Barrier School, like, from industries, from IBM, Gogo and UConn and all the schools around, and then now recently I've been appointed as one of the IAA Enod coordinator for Connecticut. Yeah, thank you. So, like, it's part of the thing that I state ID because I don't even know what I Tripoli is all about before I get here, but now in the state level. So this is quite a journey on research industry. And then I'm working on bringing the I Tripoli branch here at Confia because we don't have any I Tripoli branch. And we have awesome engineering majors here. 

Joel Vanner: So yeah. And what does IE stand for? 

Yusuf Usman: Instead of electric electronic engineering. 

Joel Vanner: Awesome. Yeah, it sounds like an awesome experience. 

Yusuf Usman: Yeah, it sounds great. 

Joel Vanner: That in your research and the academics, how have these experiences helped you grow? 

Yusuf Usman: So actually, this experience helped me grow in quite a number of ways because me coming from the industry, I don't know that the academic and the industry, there's a really quite a big gap, which For me getting here, I understand there's a big curve, which is what we are working and in reducing the gave now. Recently, I submit a proposal. So it just seemed to create like a cybersecurity hands on experience where we give student experience to carry out an internship or other activity to cover the gap because in our major cybersecurity, people don't trust you when you don't have work experience. And when students finish, they're like, We need experience. Do you have experience? I'll like, Oh, I just finished school. I said, No, you need experience to get a job. So we're trying to work on that. That actually changed me because before I was like, I saw normal, but it's totally different. So I think that will help a lot. 

Joel Vanner: Your program is coming to an end, graduating this year in a couple of months.  

Yusuf Usman: Yeah. 

Joel Vanner: Moving forward, what does your career look like and what are you hoping to achieve once you leave Quinnipiac? 

 Yusuf Usman: So my career will look like on Quinnipiac I'm looking forward to have more work on hands on experience. I'm looking forward to work with the industry where I can get more experience. And then hopefully maybe I'm not sure if maybe I'm thinking also to go for PhD because now, before I'm not interested in this but now I'm actually interested in solving problem,  trying new things. So and then when I get a couple of experience, I'm hopefully going back to my home country in Nigeria to establish something because, like, with the growing population with the increasing cybercrime and other things that we need cybersecurity as well. So I'm hoping to go back and establish a good cybersecurity industry that will help skill industry as well.  

Joel Vanner: That's awesome. Promoting Internet literacy and all those other things. That's really awesome. 

Yusuf Usman: Yes. Yes, that would be. That would be that is the goal, actually. So I think that's quite a journey, trying to get experience because he actually is, have the highest company, the technology all in the US, whatever you want to get here. If you can establish a work experience, learn a lot here, you can almost work anywhere in the world. 

Joel Vanner: Well, Yusuf, that's all the time we have together today. Thank you so much for joining me on the show.  

Yusuf Usman: I'm happy to be here. Thank you.  

Joel Vanner: If you liked today's episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share, and find other episodes of "Who Are You" on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube Podcast, or wherever else you get your favorite podcast. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Yusuf with me today, and until next time, see you later.