Professor David Parry, Dean of the School of Information Technology and keynote speaker Dr Sebastian Zander

The School of Information Technology marked an exciting milestone on Thursday, 5 February, hosting its inaugural Annual Public Lecture—an event that brought together staff, students, industry professionals, and members of the wider community for an evening dedicated to one of today’s most pressing topics: cyber security.

Held on campus and opened by Professor David Parry, Dean of the School of Information Technology (IT), the lecture set the tone for a new annual tradition aimed at strengthening community understanding of technology’s evolving challenges.  As he welcomed attendees, Professor Parry said:

“Cyber security is now a fundamental life skill, not just a technical concern. Events like this help us empower our community to stay safe in an increasingly digital world,”

The keynote speaker for the evening was Dr Sebastian Zander, Senior Lecturer in Information Technology, whose research expertise spans cybersecurity, covert channels, IoT security, and network traffic analysis. With a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering and experience across academia, industry, and research institutions—including a stint as a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix—Dr Zander brought both depth and real-world perspective to the conversation.

His talk, “Act Now, Stay Secure,” illuminated just how rapidly cyber threats have grown. Backed by real-world examples, humour, and striking statistics, Dr Zander unpacked the everyday tactics used by scammers, cybercriminals, and malicious attackers. Through slides that showed everything from phishing attempts to fake invoices, he demonstrated how even savvy users can be caught off guard.

The session guided the audience through:

• Common cyber threats such as phishing, identity theft, ransomware, and scams.
• How attackers exploit human behaviour.
• Password best practices and the importance of strong authentication.
• Privacy and data protection essentials.
• Preventing malware and understanding software vulnerabilities.
• Practical, achievable steps to stay secure at home, at work and on the go.

One moment that particularly resonated was Dr Zander’s reminder that technology alone can’t keep us safe:

“Cyber security isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness. The more you understand how attackers think, the better you can protect yourself and the people around you.”

The atmosphere in the lecture theatre reflected genuine curiosity and engagement. Attendees from outside the university—some with significant technical backgrounds, others simply wanting to better protect themselves and their families—mingled with academic and professional staff.  Many stayed afterwards to ask questions, share experiences, and discuss the challenges of navigating digital life safely.

The event also highlighted the School of IT’s commitment not just to cutting edge research but to community outreach and public education.  With cybercrime on the rise and Australians losing billions to scams each year, the lecture reinforced the importance of equipping everyone—students, staff, and the broader community—with practical cybersecurity knowledge.

As the first lecture in what will become an annual tradition, the evening set a high benchmark. The School of IT is already planning future topics that bring technology and society together in meaningful ways.

Professor Parry closed the night by acknowledging the team behind the scenes and hinting at what’s to come:

“This is just the beginning. We want the School of IT to be a place where important conversations happen—where knowledge is shared, and where our community feels empowered by understanding the technology shaping their world.”