Cybersecurity training returns for second year at LU with hands-on ICS focus

Cybersecurity professionals, researchers and industry partners gathered at Lamar University for a hands-on Industrial Control Systems cybersecurity training workshop, bringing together participants from across Texas and several states to strengthen defenses for critical infrastructure.

The 2nd Annual ICS Cybersecurity Hands-on Training Workshop was hosted by the Center for Data Analytics and Cybersecurity in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Region 6, and academic partner Sul Ross State University.

The three-day program included intensive, eight-hour courses covering Intermediate Cybersecurity for Industrial Control Systems (ICS201 and ICS202), as well as CyberStrike NEMESIS, a simulation-based exercise designed to test participant response to evolving cyber threats.

Organizers also demonstrated a live in-house midstream testbed developed by the CDAC team, simulating real-world industrial operations, cyberattacks and detection systems to give participants hands-on exposure to complex cybersecurity scenarios.

Dr. Helen Lou, professor of chemical engineering at Lamar University and director of the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Center for Data Analytics and Cybersecurity, noted the broader significance of the event.

Lou said the workshop has become a key training platform for professionals working to protect critical infrastructure systems.

“The recurring ICS cybersecurity workshop is a resounding success. It is a pivotal event for professionals seeking both foundational and advanced skills to secure critical infrastructure,” Lou said. “As the cyber threat landscape evolves, so too does the program, ensuring participants are equipped to meet emerging challenges.”

She also noted increased participation this year, with attendees traveling from Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Florida, reflecting the workshop’s expanding regional reach.

Support for the program came from the U.S. Department of Energy, along with corporate sponsors including ExxonMobil and Valero Energy Corporation.

The workshop was also made possible by trainers Russell R. Gold, Eric M. Mickelsen, Chris Johnson and Kelly Johnson, along with guest speaker Jeevan Sakti of ExxonMobil, whose contributions helped shape the hands-on training experience.

To learn more about the Center for Data Analytics and Cybersecurity at Lamar University, visit https://www.lamar.edu/center-data-analytics-cybersecurity/index.html.