UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For Rajiv Thummala, a third year Schreyer Honor’s Scholar studying cybersecurity analytics and operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, his Penn State education, further supported by a recent NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium scholarship, could help him to fulfill a childhood dream of working with space and put him on the path toward his ultimate career goal:  working with the U.S. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, a post established by Congress in 2020 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.

As one out of three Penn State students and one out of 10 across the commonwealth to receive the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium scholarship in 2021-22, Thummala plans to utilize the financial award in part to fund his research into how quantum computing can be used to strengthen communication between satellites and the ground to prevent potential hackers from intercepting those communications. His work is in collaboration with Peng Liu, Raymond G. Tronzo, MD Professor of Cybersecurity in the College of IST.

“Dr. Liu has a lot of experience in terms of smart grids, which play an integral role in satellite communications,” Thummala said. “I also hope to use the scholarship funds to purchase hardware that can be used to simulate quantum-cryptographic defenses against cyberattacks.”

Thummala is simultaneously pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cybersecurity analytics and operations through the integrated undergraduate-graduate program offered at Schreyer Honors College and supported by the College of IST.

Outside the classroom, Thummala has been actively involved with Hack PSU, currently serving as marketing director of the biannual campus-wide hackathon competition. He also was on the Penn State team in the National Security Agency’s Center of Academic Excellence Northeast Region Cyber Competition, giving him the opportunity to further apply his knowledge and skills.

“It was basically a cybersecurity capture-the-flag competition,” Thummala said. “It was conducted in a high-stress environment in which our team was tasked with locating flags that were hidden inside vulnerable programs and applications. We were racing against a bunch of other NSA certified cybersecurity programs across the country.”

His combined experiences and opportunities at Penn State have led Thummala to develop a strong interest in cybersecurity research. So, he blended his knowledge and skills with his love for space and his desire to make an impact for the U.S. 

Additionally, Thummala has taken note of cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure in the U.S., including attacks on water tanks and meat production services. 

“I felt like it was my duty as a student who was pursuing cybersecurity research to further explore this,” he said. “And I've always had an interest for space growing up. So, I decided to fuse all those three together and research satellite systems security for the government.”

He will have the opportunity to do that next summer, when he will conduct satellite cybersecurity research as an intern with the U.S. Government. He has previously completed several other internships with the federal government, including serving as a cybersecurity intern with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; as a student department head of web development through a Virtual Student Federal Service internship with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; and as an undergraduate student researcher with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Strategy, Policy Coordination and Innovation Office.  

This extensive experience with multiple federal agencies, combined with the education he’s gained at Penn State, has put Thummala on the path toward his ultimate career goals.

“My internships and academics have equipped me with both the intelligence and national security experience as well as the technical expertise that will be needed to craft effective policies,” he said. “I hope to eventually transition into satellite policy where I will be using my knowledge of satellite cybersecurity – which I’ve strengthened through my research at Penn State – to make the best regulations and decisions.”

After he earns his degrees in 2023, he hopes to attain an additional graduate degree then ultimately work as a cyber defense engineer researcher at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and serve as a board member in the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency’s Space Systems Critical Infrastructure Working Group. Both positions would serve as major steppingstones for him to fulfill his lifelong dream of working with U.S. space policy.

Thummala’s internship experiences have enabled him to begin conducting federal research prior to entering the workforce. When he does eventually join the public sector, Thummala will have over three years of experience to set him apart from other applicants.

“My internships will enable me to reach my goal of working with space policy much faster,” Thummala said.

Satellites play a critical role in American assets like the power grid, weather forecasting, and global positioning systems. Thummala wants to be a part of protecting the American people by producing research that strengthens these systems.