Student Explores the Connection Between Human Behavior and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is increasingly important, but many cybersecurity measures boil down to better educating the public about online safety. This student explored password setting behaviors with his school science project.

There are thousands of possible questions and topics a student can explore with a school science project, but coming up with an idea isn't always the easiest thing, especially for students who are not excited to have a science fair project assignment or are doing a science fair project for the first time. The Topic Selection Wizard at Science Buddies makes a tremendous difference for students who just aren't sure what to do for the science fair. By assessing a student's interests with a short survey, the Topic Selection Wizard recommends projects from Science Buddies' library of more than 1,100 scientist- and engineer-authored STEM ideas that students may really enjoy but might not have found or considered on their own.

Aidan, a 7th grade student in Los Angeles, wants to be a writer someday. He admits that science isn't his favorite class, but he says he does really enjoy STEAM projects. "They help me release a lot of the creativity inside of me," says Aidan. For his school's STEAM fair, Aidan visited Science Buddies and used the Topic Selection Wizard, a resource recommended by his science teacher.

A cybersecurity project related to how people make and keep passwords was the second recommendation on Aidan's list after using the Wizard. He says the first suggestion was a project he didn't think he had time to do before the due date. "So I read #2, and it looked fun and not too time-consuming."

Aidan says he is interested in cybersecurity. "I think it's one of the most important things to have in this day and age." The passwords science project gave him an interesting angle to explore, one that sits at the intersection between technology and human behavior. Aidan says he is less interested in human behavior than technology, but he enjoyed the project.

He says the most challenging part of his Do People Use Different Passwords for Different Accounts? science project was finding volunteers to survey about their approaches to password setting. "It was a rocky start," says Aidan. "But it got easier near the end. My teacher told me that I needed 10 child volunteers and 10 adult volunteers, and a lot of people didn't respond when I asked."

As for the Topic Selection Wizard? Aidan is a true fan. "The Topic Selection Wizard Survey was easy to fill out, and it gave me my best possible projects almost instantly. In terms of the idea, I LOVED IT!!!! When and if I need to do another STEAM Fair project next year, I will most certainly go to the Topic Selection Wizard on Science Buddies, and I know I'll be able to get an easy project that I'll love."

Share Your Science Project Story!

Did you or your student have a great science project experience? We would love to hear your story and share it with the Science Buddies community! Reach out to us at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org and let us know about your project.

You Might Also Enjoy These Related Posts:

• Making Recycling Sorting Machines—STEM Success
• Mini Trebuchets and a NM MESA Challenge
• Helping Students Build Coding Skills with Drones and Self-Driving Cars
• Middle School Student Codes to Improve Life with Visual Impairment
• Student Science Project - Designing and Coding a Video Game to Help People with Alzheimer's
• Teacher Combines Computer Science and Engineering Design for Middle School Students - STEM Success Story
• A Mirror Maze Success Story
• Paper Roller Coasters and Energy Transformation: STEM Teacher Success Story