Dr. Awder M. Ahmed is an Assistant Professor of Network Technology at the Technical College of Engineering and Director of the International Relations Office at Sulaimani Polytechnic University-SPU. He has served as program chair and technical chair for several international conferences and is a member of several national and international journals. Awder is awarded a grant from the US State Department to develop the Cisco Networking Academy for three polytechnic Universities (SPU, DPU, and EPU) in KRI. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Baghdad, Iraq in 2002, Master of Network Technology from the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom in 2012, and Ph.D. in Information and Communication Technology from Duhok Polytechnic University in 2024.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Empower Women in ICT and Cybersecurity: KRI Youth Women as a Case Study

The project empowers young women in cybersecurity and information and communications technology (ICT) through a comprehensive training and mentorship program. It addresses the growing need for skilled professionals in cybersecurity while promoting gender equality and economic empowerment. A series of 10 workshops, training sessions, and mentorship opportunities will be organized for 300 young women. The program will equip participants with essential skills and knowledge in cybersecurity and ICT. Participants will learn about cybersecurity fundamentals, threat detection and mitigation, network security, data protection, and ethical hacking, among other topics.

Upon publishing the registration link for the workshops, Awder received an overwhelming response, with over 300 applications flooding in within just two days. Awder is conducting three workshops per month and has increased the number of participants from 30 to 40. He has trained a total of 80 students and alumni so far in his first two sessions! Due to the high interest, Awder has also included some male participation in his workshops. 

Awder remarked, "the main target is to show female students and alumni awareness of how to protect their personal information while utilizing social media and online services."   

 

“Empowering women in cybersecurity isn't just about closing the gender gap; it's about unlocking untapped potential and driving innovation. With the IVLP Impact Award project, we aim to cultivate a diverse and inclusive cybersecurity workforce, where every woman has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a safer digital future.”- Awder Ahmed 

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Awder participated in the IVLP Project Cybersecurity and IT Curriculum Development, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360, in partnership with GlobalPittsburgh, San Antonio Council for International Visitors, Vermont Council on World Affairs, and Utah Global Diplomacy.

Awder’s exchange experience led to the development of his project: “During our IVLP program, we met with several universities, organizations, professors, and experts in the field of Cybersecurity, for instance, The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, which delivers quality research, training, K-12 education, and competition and exercise programs to advance organizational and community cybersecurity capabilities and collaboration.”

“My IVLP experience opened my eyes to the power of international collaboration and exchange. It inspired me to create an IVLP Impact Award Project that not only addresses a pressing need in my community but also leverages the expertise and resources of global partners to make a lasting impact.”- Awder Ahmed

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Pittsburgh, PA; San Antonio, TX; Burlington, VT

Country: Iraq

Click here to go back to the IVLP Impact Awards Main page