Benjamin Kammler: Outstanding senior in cyber security engineering

Clubs and activities

I was most involved with the Spanish Club, the ISEAGE Cyber Defense Competitions, and loved participating in intramural flag football and basketball. 

Valuable hands-on learning in class

By far the most valuable in-the-classroom learning opportunity for me was the term project for CYBE 4360x (Digital Forensics). We were given freedom to pick from a wide range of topics to simulate a network forensics investigation. I chose to simulate a man-in-the-middle attack to understand how intercepted traffic could expose sensitive data. During this project, I set up virtual machines using VMware for the victim, server, and attacker, then used tools like Wireshark and arpspoof to analyze packet captures and identify evidence of credential theft via ARP spoofing and HTTP redirection. Through this project, I gained valuable hands-on experience in packet analysis, traffic filtering, and identifying anomalies in network communication, while strengthening my understanding of MitM attacks. 

Valuable out-of-the-classroom experience

My most valuable hands-on learning experience outside of the classroom has been my work at Iowa State’s IT Solution Center. This job has provided me with countless skills that will apply to my post-graduation career, including professional communication, problem-solving, leadership, and, most importantly, patience. Every single day that I work here, I encounter a new issue I have never seen before and use my accumulated knowledge and troubleshooting skills to resolve it for the customer. This job has been pivotal in shaping me into a more well-rounded engineer, ready to handle the unpredictable nature of real-world technical work. 

Most influential mentor

My most influential mentor has been Dr. Berk Gulmezoglu. He has been instrumental in my senior design project as our faculty advisor. We were given a project with the client switched right before the start, leaving us with nothing more than a single sentence for the project goal. He has helped guide us through the planning process and provided critical feedback throughout the design process, which has been critical to our success. His wisdom and advice during this project have helped us all develop as professional engineers and have set us up well to enter the workforce after graduation. 

Best memory/greatest accomplishment

My best memory at Iowa State University was my study abroad experience in Valencia, Spain. This was such a surreal experience, giving me lifelong memories and many friends. Living and traveling in a different country offers a unique perspective that can’t be gained without experiencing it firsthand. The study abroad experience was particularly instrumental in enhancing my Spanish-speaking skills. It ignited a newfound passion for travel that I had never imagined.  

Plans after graduation

I will start a full-time position at Uline as an associate IT security administrator, continuing my work from my internship. 

A memorable moment of kindness

During one of my classes that I was really struggling with, I asked the professor for weekly one-on-one meetings to make sure I was understanding the course material. These meetings allowed me to bounce ideas off him more easily than during lecture, completely turning my experience around and making a class I was struggling with into one that was both enjoyable and instrumental in my professional growth. This moment showed me how helpful and approachable professors can be, which made me more comfortable seeking assistance in future classes and ultimately led to success in other difficult courses. 

Persevering through challenging times

After my freshman year, before I had taken any actual cybersecurity courses, I was considering switching to a medical career path. This was something I was considering even before attending Iowa State. I was unsure whether I would actually enjoy the cybersecurity classes. This all changed in my sophomore year when I took my first cybersecurity classes, instantly solidifying my decision to remain a cybersecurity major.  

Your major in your own words

Cybersecurity engineering is a major focused on designing, building, and defending networks and systems from digital threats. Unlike a traditional cybersecurity major, the engineering focus emphasizes hands-on problem-solving, teaching all graduates to design and build secure systems from the ground up. It was important to have coursework from both computer science and computer engineering to provide a solid foundation. This major prepares graduates to tackle complex security challenges with creative, systematic solutions, equipping them to adapt to unexpected problems as they arise. 

Making my mark on the world

As a cybersecurity engineer, I want to develop new solutions and services that protect people around the world from the ever-growing number of new digital threats. Everyone deserves the right to privacy over their data, and I aim to ensure that throughout my professional career. 

Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer

One thing that makes being an Iowa State engineer unique is the exposure to fields beyond your own major. Between events, clubs, competitions, and career fairs, you’re constantly learning from other disciplines. Iowa State also gives you the freedom to shape your education through technical electives, letting you explore areas that genuinely interest you and build a skill set that’s uniquely yours. That combination of community-driven learning and academic flexibility is what makes the Cyclone Engineering experience awesome. 

What I’d tell my younger self about Iowa State

This university has gifted me with invaluable things, including people, experiences, knowledge, and more. Iowa State helps people find the best in themselves and creates an environment for anyone to thrive. 

Most inspiring location on campus

The Student Innovation Center inspires me in many ways. The building was designed with beautiful architecture and lots of windows covering almost the entire exterior, providing natural lighting to almost every room inside. There are so many different places that foster creativity, from the countless study rooms, wood shop, metal shop, glass blowing, and bakery to many lecture halls. The Student Innovation Center quickly became my favorite on-campus study spot.