Kayley Knopf
This is the fourth in a series of profiles of Jackson School alumni who focused on cybersecurity and international studies during their degree.
Kayley Knopf is a Project Manager at Dataminr. She graduated in 2017 with a B.A. in International Studies with a concentration on international political economy.
Where are you now? What are you doing?
I’m living in New York City, working as a Project Manager for Dataminr, a real-time event detection company
What were the most impactful educational experiences you had at the UW?
- Taking a full course load in French while studying abroad for a semester in Lyon, France
- Cybersecurity Global Research Group with Microsoft and the Jackson School in conjunction with taking Professor Beyer’s Cybersecurity course
- Task Force, learning about nuclear energy and visiting an active nuclear reactor
Are there any elements of your Jackson School education that you have really carried with you after graduation? What are they and why?
The Jackson School taught me not only to be curious about the world, but gave me the tools to act on my curiosity, to explore, to question, and to re-strategize. The Jackson School empowered me to constantly push my learning. Being open to new ways of thinking has given me many opportunities since graduation.
Which Global Research Group did you work on?
A Global Research Group for Microsoft focused on cyberattack attribution.
Did your Global Research Group experience give or hone any skills that you have used since graduation?
I was a cybersecurity analyst in my first job post graduation. The only cybersecurity experience I had prior to that role was through the Microsoft cybersecurity fellowship, along with Professor Beyer’s cybersecurity course Spring quarter of my senior year.
Being part of the Global Research Group provided me with many tools and skills which have helped me in my professional career post-graduation. Namely, the Global Research Group project helped me learn how to balance client needs within the scope of a project, as well as how to quickly adapt and pivot when given both client and team feedback. I am very grateful to have had the experience.
