FUTURE talent has been shining at the annual awards ceremony for Scotland’s growing cyber sector.
The Scottish Cyber Awards – hosted by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) – saw Cyber Christmas Lectures, a volunteer-run programme founded in 2012, become Champion of Champions.
This year the team will visit six locations across Scotland talking to more than 2500 pupils and teachers.
The Outstanding Woman in Cyber was awarded to Catherine Fitzsimons, Amina Tahir and Rachel Cooper, three pupils at St Kentigern’s Academy in West Lothian, who comprise Turing’s Testers.
They have recently set up a nationwide cyber treasure hunt to encourage more schoolgirls to become involved with data science.
Other winners included students, academics and university teams – including big wins for Edinburgh Napier and St Andrews universities.
In his keynote address, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay paid tribute to an industry that is playing a critical role protecting the country economically and socially.
He said: “The Scottish Cyber Awards acts as a showcase for Scotland’s leading talent in cyber security and innovation, which is a growing and increasingly vital part of the Scottish economy.”
Mandy Haeburn-Little, chief executive of the SBRC, added: “What a real game changer Scotland is becoming in cyber security. The calibre and ambition shown in these awards confirms categorically that Scotland is on the map of cyber security.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here