Location (during time of takeover)
School/Institution
| Undergrad | University of Denver Information Systems and Technology |
|---|---|
| Masters | George Washington University Cybersecurity Engineering and Policy |
| PhD | Capitol Technology University Space Cybersecurity |
Featured on May 3, 2026
Cracking the code on space cybersecurity is Pinoy Scientist Carmela “Carmie” Gonzales, a PhD candidate in Space Cybersecurity at Capitol Technology University, international researcher, and cybersecurity professor based in Southern California.
Carmie graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and Technology from the University of Denver. She furthered her studies at The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, taking a Master in Engineering in Cybersecurity Engineering and Policy. During her studies, she also took on various roles, notable among them being her time at the U.S. Department of State’s Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau, Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and Intel Corporation’s Global Government Affairs and Intel AI Labs. After graduation, Carmie completed her faculty teaching fellowship at National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE) Program to become an educator. She then turned her attention to space, joining the Commercial Space Project Group Partnerships team of the United Nations Space Generation Advisory Council. She also spent a semester as Principal Investigator for NASA L’SPACE NPWEE program, submitting to NASA MSFC Science and Technology, a proposal and new technology report on exploring autonomous cyber-physical fault management for space communications, navigation, and tracking.
She is also a Research Project Manager for the AI Agents for Cybersecurity category at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) with a paper accepted for publication and an upcoming presentation in June at Dongguk University, South Korea.
Some fun facts about Carmie:
- When she was a kid, she volunteered to let a demo Mars rover “run over [her]” at the NASA JPL Open House, which began her love for space
- Her future goal is to become a private pilot and fly a Cessna 172 Skyhawk
- Her parasocial best friend is Moo Deng, even adopting “Moo Deng Diplomacy” as a handle in top Cyber competitions she wins
