We are Vandals

Vandal engineer Hayden Wakkinen is starting his career at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington, working on non-nuclear ships in the fluid mechanics division. But for the fall University of Idaho graduate, the path to becoming and engineer was not as simple as four years out of high school.

The Bonners Ferry, Idaho, native spent four years in the Air Force before choosing the U of I. Those years spent as a mechanic working on older jets like the U-2S and A-10C, were intended to be a time for growth and reflection, Hayden said.

"You can do all the planning in the world and map out where you want to be in the next five years, but also be aware that life happens and it's okay to change paths," he said. "I didn't know what I wanted to do after high school. I didn't want to waste time on something I wasn't sold on."

From a military family with ties to the area, Hayden chose mechanical engineering in the U of I College of Engineering not only because of the location, but because of its reputation for engineering and the support from faculty and staff.

"The dedication and support of the professors makes or breaks a program," he said. "Even outside of the college, from admissions and the Registrar's Office to the rec center. If I needed help, I just had to find the right person to reach out to."

Hayden participated in the U of I Cooperative Education (Co-op) program, earning up to $20,000 as a student alternating terms of classroom study with on-the-job experience. The experience extended his academic career even further, which he said was well worth the wait and would recommend to students looking for relevant experience before entering the job market.

It also allowed Hayden, then a junior, to help lead a patent application to improve therapies that treat neurological disorders. He worked as a R&D engineer laboratory technician for Alcyone Therapeutics Inc., a biotech company focused on developing gene therapy programs and technologies in the treatment of genetic disorders that affect the central nervous system, like Rett syndrome and others.

"Engineering can lead you down so many career paths," he said. "We will always need engineers in every single field. You can tailor your career toward whatever your interests are. The opportunities are endless."

Everyone knows what a computer is, but few understand how it really works. Taegan Williams' master's research aims to teach - from a young age - how these devices can be as tiny as a small box with the power to solve major challenges.

"For most kids, interest in computers starts very young," Taegan said. "They know what a computer is, but they don't understand these devices can make things happen, from making your coffee pot start to running a huge industrial system. It's understanding the mystery behind this box and its signals - that's the real kicker."

Williams, from Post Falls, graduated with his Master's in Cybersecurity this fall, locking in one of the rarest degrees in the region in one of the fastest growing job markets nationwide. He's participated in outreach events and other activities in Idaho Falls to help high school and middle school students learn more about the subject.

Students participate in lifelike hack and defend scenarios in U of I's Reconfigurable Attack-Defend Instructional Computing Laboratories in Idaho Falls and Moscow. These labs allow students to simulate cyberattack and defense protocols within an isolated environment.

Taegan started as an undergraduate at U of I, pursuing computer science, a comprehensive program emphasizing cyber defense. As a senior, he was awarded $22,000 toward an Undergraduate Certificate in Applied CyberSecurity from the SANS Technology Institute, the world's largest information security training and certification company. The scholarship and participation in U of I's Cyber Defense Club spurred his interest in cybersecurity and educating others on the topic.

Taegan chose to pursue his Master's in Cybersecurity on the Idaho Falls campus, working closely with Computer Science Associate Professor Michael Haney and researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory. Vandal engineers like Taegan train alongside 15 nationally and internationally recognized cybersecurity faculty with expertise in power engineering, information assurance, industrial control systems and transportation.

"U of I faculty and staff are extremely motivated to help students," Taegan said. "They see the need to move Idaho in the right direction for cybersecurity and the national need for more talent."