When Eduarda Koop was growing up in Brazil, she used to joke that she wanted to be a hacker. She never imagined that it could actually become a career path.
Koop started at 黑料网吃瓜爆料as a criminology major, drawn to the investigative side of law enforcement. But after just one semester in that program, she pivoted to cybersecurity because of the opportunities it brings beyond law enforcement, everything from designing programs to protect data to responding to threats, to stopping nefarious behavior in its tracks.
鈥淲ith cybersecurity, I can have the best of both worlds,鈥� Koop said. 鈥淚 can still use that investigative mindset, analyzing facts and artifacts, but apply it in technology, a field that鈥檚 growing so much鈥�
Envisioning her own pathway
Technology isn鈥檛 new to Koop. Her father owns an IT company in Brazil, and she gained technical experience there before coming to America to study at USF. After changing majors, Koop leaned into the program and the faculty鈥檚 鈥渏ump in鈥� approach.
鈥淲ith cybersecurity, you cannot just sit and read a book or listen to a lecture to try to get as much information as you can. You have to go and get hands-on so you can learn. It's the best way to learn in this field.鈥�
She said that this applies to her coursework but that she saw the very best students were the ones who went beyond the classroom, who tried to learn and participate in opportunities where they got to 鈥減lay鈥� and dig into the tech tools.
In her first year, she emailed professors looking for ways to get involved. Assistant Professor Marbin Pazos Revilla responded, giving her early access to Hack the Box, a professional platform for cybersecurity simulations.
鈥淚 would sit in his office for three hours, three days a week, just working on projects,鈥� Koop said. 鈥淭hat support really got me into the field鈥�
She now serves as vice president of USF鈥檚 Women in Cybersecurity Club and co-president of Brasa Connect, a student-run conference that the Brazilian Student Association puts together annually.
A summer journey to California
This summer, Koop put her skills to the test during an internship with Qualcomm in San Diego. The global technology giant received more than 1,200 applications for its program, and Koop was selected for the Cyber Investigations Team within the company鈥檚 Information Security and Risk Management division.
Her project focused on implementing Microsoft鈥檚 鈥渧alet key鈥� pattern for cloud security in Azure.
鈥淭he project was mine from start to finish. I had to learn from zero, but by the end I built something that was applied in real time and that was incredibly meaningful.鈥�
While she can鈥檛 share proprietary details from her experience, Koop says the internship gave her an incredible learning opportunity 鈥� one she would not have been ready for without her 黑料网吃瓜爆料education.
As she did at USF, Koop also immersed herself in company life, joining the intern event committee. That led to one of her proudest moments: moderating a Q&A with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, a fellow Brazilian.
鈥淚 was so nervous,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it was an honor to see someone who started from the same place as me and reached that level.鈥�
She said the CEO gave her and her fellow interns some advice that has stuck with her even after the internship concluded in August:
- Figure out the steps needed to achieve your goals, and take them confidently.
- Keep a positive mindset and stay calm, even under pressure.
- Stay focused, work hard, and believe in yourself.
Her education laid the foundation
鈥淓verything I learned at Qualcomm built on the foundation I got at USF. Some of my fellow interns never had access to tools like Hack the Box or the kind of faculty we have here. I think that reflects on the whole department. Honestly, I always get answers super quickly when I need them for my courses. All my professors have been amazing, specifically for cybersecurity.
鈥淭hat preparation gave me the confidence to walk in and do the work,鈥� she said.
Koop is starting her senior year while working as an SOC analyst with Cyber Florida. She鈥檚 helping monitor alerts, generate threat intelligence reports, and train alongside peers.
Looking ahead, she hopes to stay in the U.S. after graduation, pursue a master鈥檚 degree in artificial intelligence, and eventually return to Qualcomm or another leading company.
鈥淢y goal is to find my passion within cybersecurity and keep learning,鈥� Koop said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 protecting data, defending organizations, or mentoring others in cybersecurity, I want a fulfilling career that is rewarding and makes an impact.鈥�