Student Spotlight

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Student Spotlight Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Brittany Christian, ’20

November 1, 2018

John Winters

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Brittany Christian, ’20, has big dreams. They’re not focused on climbing a corporate ladder or founding a successful startup. They involve helping others.

The Boston native, boasting a strong record of service while at BSU, hopes upon graduation to start an international nonprofit organization to help young people in Belize.

A political science major, Brittany credits service trips to Cambodia and Belize with sharpening her focus on a career devoted to helping others. She’s also worked on campus as a peer counselor and served as a legislative and community affairs intern in the office of State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz.

In February, Brittany participated in the 2018 Harvard Kennedy School Public Policy & Leadership Conference (just 73 students out of 800 applicants from across the country were chosen). That experience helped her decide to pursue a joint law-public policy degree in the future and to become a civil rights attorney.

We caught up with this busy junior to talk about her time at BSU and to find out what drives her.

Can you talk about those formative service trips?

I traveled to Cambodia this past March, and we had the opportunity to build water filters in rural villages alongside students attending a local university. They told us that despite their community service, they didn’t receive any government aid to attend school. It’s all personal funds. I thought there should be more effort by the government and outside sources to promote educational opportunities both there and in Belize. In Belize, where I traveled to three months prior, we worked in a primary school, which is unfortunately surrounded by gangs and other dangers to the youth attempting to get their education. We were under the leadership of Dean Lisa Battaglino, who has led this trip for several years. I fed off her passion and realized that I want to help kids obtain educational equality.

How did you become concerned about social justice?

My passion was born when I was in 10th grade. Trayvon Martin was killed, and the Black Lives Matter movement was gaining momentum. I felt there needed to be more advocates of color out there. At first, I wanted to be a journalist, because I thought it was a good opportunity to go into the field and tell stories about socioeconomically marginalized individuals. Then I met a teacher at Belmont High School, and she was a former lawyer herself who was now teaching. She taught me that if I was passionate about making change in this world that I could effectively do it as a lawyer. I said, ‘That’s the career for me.’

Did your family influence you, too?

Both of my parents’ families emigrated here from the Caribbean; my mother’s side from Barbados and my father’s side from Dominica. Both taught me about the importance of hard work and the American Dream. Neither obtained a four-year college degree, but my mother was often told over the years that she would make an amazing attorney, so when I shared with my family that being an attorney was, coincidentally, my dream career, I believe it made my mother the proudest. Holding on to the dream of my mother is something that keeps me going.

Do you have a BSU story you’d like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

Holding on to the dream of my mother is something that keeps me going.

Brittany Christian '20

Faculty Focus - Dr. Kyung-shick Choi / Criminal Justice

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Faculty Focus - Dr. Kyung-shick Choi / Criminal Justice Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Professor helps launch new journal dedicated to cybersecurity

November 1, 2018

Brian Benson

Story Series

Bridgewater Magazine

Cybercrime knows no geographic borders, so it makes sense that a new journal co-founded by a 51�Թ�� professor aims to forge connections across the globe.

The International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence and Cybercrime, published in partnership with BSU and Boston University, seeks to offer empirical research articles, policy reports, case studies and book reviews. It debuted in July and will be published twice a year.

“I think every single scholar wants to establish a specialized journal,” said Dr. Kyung-shick Choi, founding editor and editor-in-chief of the journal. “This is one of my dreams. Research is so important. It connects everyone.”

A native of South Korea, Dr. Choi’s secondary education took place in the United States. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a master’s from Boston University and a PhD from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has been a full-time faculty member at BSU for 11 years.

Dr. Choi was invited to facilitate the United Nations Virtual Forum Against Cybercrime as an instructor in 2009. He is the author of Cybercriminology and Digital Investigation and Risk Factors in Computer-Crime Victimization.

The new peer-reviewed journal will further his work in these areas, exploring the topics and trends in cyber-security and cybercrime. The publication welcomes submissions from criminologists, social scientists, computer scientists, cybersecurity practitioners, members of police agencies, policymakers and others.

Dr. Choi hopes the publication serves a wide audience from around the world. Editorial board members hail from about a dozen countries, and Dr. Choi plans to publish issues in languages other than English.

“In order to minimize cybercrime, we have to globally work together,” said Dr. Choi, who teaches at BSU and Boston University. “It’s not just a U.S. problem.”

Dr. Choi recently traveled to Colombia where he delivered keynote speeches at the Cybercriminology and Information Security Seminar at Universidad Antonio Narino in Villavicencio and at the First Symposium on Cybercriminology and Cybersecurity. He also visited the Colombia National Police Information & Technology Agency and was interviewed by the Colombia National Police Radio & Television.

He praised former BSU Associate Librarian Ellen Dubinsky, who led the digital library services, and Cybercrime Investigation and Cybersecurity team members for their assistance with the journal. Dr. Choi hopes the publication helps bring together government and private sector cybersecurity work. He would also like to improve training in the field and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

“Have an open mind. Don’t be afraid of challenging new things,” he said of his goal for students who will read the journal.

Do you have a BSU story you’d like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

In order to minimize cybercrime, we have to globally work together, it’s not just a U.S. problem.

Dr. Kyung-Schick Choi

Fall 2018

Student Spotlight

Faculty Focus - Dr. Kyung-shick Choi / Criminal Justice