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Season 4 Episode 064

064. From High School to the Tech Lab – Jay Patel on His Internship at TAC and Path to Designing the Secure Systems of Tomorrow

Published on October 13, 2025

In this episode of #CyberChats, we sit down with Jay Patel, a high school senior whose passion for cybersecurity has already taken him into the professional tech world. Jay recently completed an internship at the Technology Advancement Center, where he gained hands-on experience learning how hardware and software work together – and how vulnerabilities in those systems can be exploited.

We talk about how Jay discovered his interest in cybersecurity at a young age, what he learned during his internship, and why system security has become such an important focus for his future. From understanding why devices and programs have security flaws to exploring how we can design safer systems, Jay shares insights that are valuable for anyone curious about cybersecurity – especially students looking to follow a similar path.

Never miss an episode or Challenge drop by signing up for our #CyberChats newsletter at: ⁠⁠https://archive.cryptologicfoundation.org/podcast⁠⁠

Topics discussed: system security, college, student programs, cybersecurity internships, TAC.

Stock Music provided by AG_Music, from Pond5

About the Host: Kennedy Taylor Tibbets

Kennedy Taylor Tibbetts is a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant for Ernst and Young, where she specializes in Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) for federal clients. She obtained her Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management from Georgetown University and a professional certification in data privacy. Kennedy’s passion for empowering youth has led her to take on a new role as host of the NCF’s #CyberChats podcast.

Fun Fact: Kennedy was Miss Maryland in 2023 and placed in the top 10 at Miss America.

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