Celebrating the Labroots 2025 Spring Travel Scholarship Winner: Iwinosa Aideyan

Conferences are excellent opportunities for students and professionals to connect and network while showcasing their research and advancing their personal goals. The Labroots Travel Scholarship aims to reduce the financial burden of traveling for research, professional development, and conference attendance. This scholarship can be used for anything from offsetting travel costs to paying for accommodation to conference registration fees, enabling participants to focus on networking and building connections.

This year's recipient is Iwinosa Aideyan, a third-year Computer Engineering PhD student at Clemson University, whose research focuses on automotive cybersecurity and developing software security systems for over-the-air (OTA) updates for connected vehicles.

"I am incredibly honored to receive the Labroots Travel Scholarship, which allows me to share my research on automotive cybersecurity at the Women in Cybersecurity Conference 2025. This opportunity will enable me to contribute to the conversation around securing connected vehicles and fuel my passion for advancing diversity in cybersecurity and encouraging more women to enter this critical field."

Aideyan credits her father's work with printers and computers as kickstarting her journey into the technological world. She became interested in cybersecurity during her academic career, noting its vital role in the daily lives of everyday people, specifically automotive cybersecurity. She notes that despite the field being in its infancy, the potential for protecting connected vehicles keeps her motivated to impact people's lives positively.

Looking ahead, Aideyan predicts that automotive cybersecurity will continue to advance, including improved strategies, protocols, and regulations, focusing on autonomous vehicles. Her long-term goal is to contribute to developing more robust security frameworks, specifically OTA updates and software supply chain security.

Regarding someone who influenced her decision to pursue technology, Aideyan praises her mother, who encouraged Aideyan to enhance her high school computer skills and enroll her in computer training classes. During college summer breaks, Aideyan's mother even enrolled her in a CompTIA A+ course to gain additional skills and give her the best opportunities in a male-dominated field.

Outside of research, Aideyan is currently involved in several clubs and organizations, including Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), Women in Technology (AnitaB.org), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Women in Engineering ((SWE), Automotive Security Research Group (ASRG), Reformed University Fellowship International (RUF-I), Nigerian Student in Clemson (NSC), and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Aideyan also enjoys sewing and playing tennis in her free time, specifically focusing on quilting, which she made for her mother as a Christmas gift and is currently working on one for herself.

To connect with Aideyan and follow her career, follow her on LinkedIn and ResearchGate.