{"id":150743,"date":"2026-02-05T10:00:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=150743"},"modified":"2026-02-05T11:02:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T16:02:55","slug":"ucf-alums-are-twin-pillars-of-support-for-ucf-cybersecurity-competition-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-alums-are-twin-pillars-of-support-for-ucf-cybersecurity-competition-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Alums Are Twin Pillars of Support for UCF Cybersecurity Competition Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"
They learned to defend networks under pressure \u2014 then took that mindset into the real world. UCF alumni Martin \u201920 \u201922MS <\/strong>and Michael Roberts \u201919 \u201921MS<\/strong> are two of the university\u2019s most celebrated cybersecurity<\/a> competitors. Now, even with their student days behind them, the identical twins remain deeply embedded in Hack@UCF<\/a>, proudly supporting, training and mentoring future cybersecurity talent.<\/p>\n Both brothers turned their meaningful time at UCF into high-impact careers protecting critical systems. Martin leads the security engineering program at workforce management company Fountain, while Michael oversees cybersecurity efforts at Abbott Diabetes Care.<\/p>\n \u201cI stayed interested in cybersecurity because it was also about safeguarding people, privacy and trust,\u201d Michael says. \u201cThat sense of purpose in protecting people is what has kept me motivated. I am now responsible for protecting medical devices, some of the technology people most rely on in their everyday lives.\u201d<\/p>\n That purpose was developed at UCF, where the Roberts brothers solidified their career paths through the renowned Collegiate Cyber Defense Club \u2014 better known as Hack@UCF. The student-led organization became a launchpad, sharpening their technical skills through high-stakes competitions and invaluable collaboration. As Hack@UCF stacked up championship after championship, university and industry partners doubled down on their support. In 2019, Lockheed Martin helped establish the Innovation Cyber Lab<\/a> \u2014 a 970-square-foot dedicated practice space located in the Engineering I building \u2014 providing the team with a home base.<\/p>\n “These competitions helped me advance my skillset, gain real-world experience and make connections across the industry.”\u00a0\u2014 Martin Roberts \u201920 \u201922MS<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cUCF gave us the space to experiment, to fail and to grow. The university\u2019s investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and student-led initiatives made it possible for us to compete \u2014 and win \u2014 on a national level,\u201d Michael says. \u201cNot every university is willing to dedicate space and resources for a team to compete, so I am grateful to UCF for doing so.\u201d<\/p>\nFrom Cyber Competition to Real-World Defense<\/h3>\n
Where Purpose Took Shape<\/h3>\n