Francisca Afua Opoku-Boateng, Ph.D., CBFI

• Concentration:  Information Systems

• Dissertation Chair: Welu Cody, Ph.D
• Dissertation Title: DWPF: A Dark Web Pharma Framework for A More Efficient Investigation of Dark Web COVID-19 Vaccine Products.
• Dissertation successfully defended.  

• Concentration: Computer/Digital Forensics

• Thesis Advisor: Mark Allison, Ph.D
• Concentration: Information Systems

• Thesis Advisor: Abraham Boakye, MSc.
• Concentration: Networking

 The Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Fellows Program is a cohort-based professional development program that helps computing faculty, staff postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and professionals. As a fellow, I will learn about:

1. 1. Social science topics (such as identity, intersectionality, racism, bias, and discrimination),
   2. How these topics impact computing environments (as well as the developed technologies); and
   3. how to develop computing deliverables at my home institutions that leverage these topics to foster more inclusive and equitable cultures.

The OHUB is the leading technology, startup entrepreneurship & and venture ecosystem building platform created to ensure that everyone, everywhere has an equitable opportunity in the future of work, the fourth industrial revolution, and beyond as a path to multi-generational wealth creation with no reliance on pre-existing multi-generational wealth. They utilize multiple programs and initiatives like OHUB.SXSW to meet their ultimate goal. The goal involves delivering early exposure, skills development, job placement, entrepreneurship support programming, net new job creation, and alternative capital formation via geographically placed technology hubs, citywide communities, campus chapters, managed programs, and live events and experiences that include thousands of college students, young professionals, founders, investors and ecosystem builders throughout America and beyond.

The LAIER strives to contribute to Authorship Attribution, Human-Computer-Interaction, Privacy, Security, and Social Computing ongoing research.

As a member, I

• Assist with ongoing research projects; engage in literature reviews.
• Provide assistance with event planning as needed
• Provide supervision and mentorship to student members of the LAIER as needed.

As an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity at Dakota State University, my teaching specialization revolves around Digital, Windows, and Mobile Forensics as well as Incident Response. My research areas include:
   -  Dark Web and OSINT Investigations
   -  General Cyber Awareness
   - Black Girls in STEM specifically in the Cybersecurity space.
   - Cyber Threat Intelligence

Dakota State University organized a Cyber Academy for Air Force Junior ROTC (JROTC) students during the summer. As a student lead and mentor, I assisted in teaching and mentoring the Air Force JROTC (students) to give them an opportunity to jump-start a career in cyber security. 

As a CybHER Leader,

• I carried out the mission of CybHER thus empowering, motivating, and educating girls in cybersecurity.
• Overall, the goal was to inspire girls to be cyber aware and become educated in cybersecurity, and be motivated to enter the field.
• Created cybersecurity curriculum, web-based educational tutorials, assessments, computer-based simulations, multi-media presentations, and conducting both virtual and in-person training with participants of the program.
• Contributed to developing specialized and technical curriculum development and training geared toward the middle, high and elementary school students as well as teaching the developed curriculum at GenCyber camp the week of June 20-24, 2021. 

• Lectured students based on material from the approved curriculum.
• Developed daily lesson plans and build-out courses to include instructional aids.
• Encouraged and motivated students to actively participate in all aspects of the educational process.
• Maintained expertise in the subject area and recommends improvements in curriculum design.
• When possible, participated in core course academic support programs, certification programs, and student professional associations

• Performed digital and mobile forensics criminal investigations utilizing AXIOM, FTK, Cellebrite, and other tools.
• Performed all phases of incident response and created playbooks and reference guides to illustrate and elaborate the incident response processes.
• Performed and developed security monitoring by using cases and supporting content for security tools like dashboards, alerts, reports, rules.
• Conducted OSINT examinations/investigations. Cases worked on include email and website scams, drug-related, cybercrimes, fraud, counterfeiting.
• Developed OSINT training materials and presentations for law enforcement agents.
• Designed social media smart cards for consumer protection in South Dakota.

Google Women TechMakers aims to build a world where all women can thrive in tech, as part of this initiative, I was awarded a 10K scholarship and continues resources as a woman in tech. The Techmakers program provides visibility, community, and resources for women in technology.

The negative societal impacts of counterfeiting are widespread, touching nearly every economic sector, including health care, and threatening our national security. The explosion of the illicit economy can be traced to the growth in online commerce and an “abuse ecosystem” of rogue internet actors, direct-to-consumer courier delivery services, and the lack of product protective measures to counteract counterfeiting. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) collaborative award to four South Dakota universities (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Dakota State University) provides graduate students with the scientific knowledge and professional skills and training needed to become next-generation leaders in the fight against counterfeiting. Participants will receive professional and leadership training within the framework of a unique cyber-physical-social model. This model takes a comprehensive approach that factors in not only the technical aspects of the cyber strategies and physical methods used to combat counterfeiting, but also whether these strategies and methods are compatible with human behavior. This model allows trainees to solve complex problems, where the solutions must tightly integrate cyber, physical, and social interactions in real-time.

The blackcomputeHER Fellows Program is a cohort-based, leadership development program designed to cultivate black women leaders in computing+tech. The program offered 12 months of intensive development for selected fellows. 

• Worked on projects dubbed: Dark Web Monitoring. 
• Researched how to utilize the recorded future tool in performing monitoring scans for our clients. 
  • Researched other specific competitive tools (Dark Owl Vision, ACID Cyber Intelligence, Digital
    shadows SearchLight) for monitoring the dark web.
  • Documented process, procedure, and findings on how the tools can aid us in performing assessments
    for our clients.
• Researched current dark web darknet platforms for selling counterfeits and fake goods.
  • Compiled a list of all identified markets and run a test to make sure they are still alive.
• Performed Penetration Tests, Vulnerability Scans, and Social Engineering Assessments.
•  Worked on getting certified as a Banking Ethical Hacker

• Worked on mobile forensics project.
  • Researched how to build and test a mobile device investigation workstation with the SANS SHIFT
    Workstation.
  • Documented process and procedure on how to conduct investigations using the tool.
• Researched current ransomware attacks & breaches.
  • Compiled the various descriptors and keys and generated a white paper for the team. (Yet to be
    published).
• Performed Risk Assessments
• Worked on getting certified as a Banking Forensics Investigator
• Research on dark web infiltration
• Worked on a project to create a SysLogging Intrusion Detection System (IDS)

• Taught CSS 388-Computer Forensics Fundamentals during the summer session of this year.

• National Science Foundation NRT Affiliate – Participate in National Research traineeship program (Cyber-Physical-Social System for Understanding and Thwarting the Illicit Economy)
• Assisted faculty members with research projects on digital forensics, Girls in STEM, Mobile and IoT Forensics.
• Assisted in teaching CSS 388 – Computer Forensics Fundamentals
• Performed grant review for the AAUW grant, developed idea proposals for the CybHER organization, and perform a variety of administrative tasks for the CybHER organization

• Contributed to business development by identifying new opportunities and assisting with proposal
  development.
• Provided Dynamics 365 for Operations, AX2012 R3, and 2009 professional services for clients, ensuring their requirements and expectations were met with high-level quality, on time, and within budget.
• Participated in some phases of Dynamics 365 for Operations or 2012 ERP projects.
• Conducted system analysis for vulnerabilities and contributed to creating solutions for system vulnerabilities and security flaws. 

• Provided technical support for various hardware and software applications via phones and/or other media as required.
• Gained knowledge of application security and development processes and technologies.
• Performed escalation procedures to counteract potential threats/vulnerabilities as well as internal
  assessments. 
• Worked on various incident management queues assigned to the support department via Remedy.
• Deployed, troubleshot and responded to requests and issues affecting client databases.

• Deployed, troubleshot, and responded to requests and issues affecting client databases.
• Provided technical support for software applications via phones.
• Worked on various incident management queues assigned to the Support department

• Assisted in tutoring individuals and groups of students and conducted an end-of-semester evaluation.
• Assisted a faculty member with a research project; engaged in literature review and collected data for research on indicators of ethics and privacy.
• Conducted meetings with students, administered tests, and supervised students during exams.
• Provide assistance with event planning including supervision of undergraduate student workers.

• Certified in 12/2019

• Certificate earned in 07/2020

• Certified on: 12/19/2016
• Certification Number: F953-2799

• Certified on: 12/19/2016
• Certification Number: F953-2798

Participated in an Introduction to Digital Forensics developmental course - a program with the Florida International University. The course was led by Matt Ruddell - a Trainer III/Lecturer at the National Forensic Science Technology Center.

• Research with Human Subjects (RCR)
• Research without Human Subjects (RCR)
• Conflict of Interest

• RCR for Humanities
• RCR for Social, Behavioral, and Education (SBE) Sciences
• Social-Behavioral-Educational Researchers
• Information Security

• CrowdStrike, AttackIQ
• SIEM, Splunk, Sans Investigative Forensics Toolkit (SIFT) Workstation
• Recorded Future Tool, Multiple OSINT Tools, Wireshark, CrypTool
• FTK Imager and FTK ver 7.1.0 | Access Data, Magnet AXIOM, Autopsy, Redline, OS Forensics
• SELKS (Suricata), Kibana, Metasploit, Nmap
• Cellebrite UFED Mobile Forensic, XRY Mobile Forensics
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 for operations, AX 2009, 2012 R3

The GenCyber Teachers Camp at DSU will be hosting 50 middle and high school STEM teachers June 6th - 10th for a week-long camp to introduce and integrate cybersecurity topics into your classroom. 

Serving on a 7 member search committee to recruit new Associate Deans faculty for the department.

Serving on a 5 member search committee to recruit new faculty for the department.

• Weekly checking in with mentee.
• Working closely on Smart Goals with mentee.
• Reviewing Digital forensics materials with mentee.

• Successfully manage community relations and support positive interactions between BIC@ Location groups and the surrounding community.
• Frequently lead negotiations on a variety of topics.
• Build relationships with their BIC group and the surrounding community.
• Developing and maintaining positive relations is a major benefit in this position.
• Oversee and direct my respective communities, assigning roles and managing meetings, etc.

The Tapia conference is the premier venue to acknowledge, promote and celebrate diversity in computing. The goal of the Tapia Conferences is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to Celebrate the diversity that exists in computing; Connect with others with common backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, and gender so as to create communities that extend beyond the conference; Obtain advice from and make contacts with computing leaders in academia and industry and Be inspired by great presentations and conversations with leaders with common backgrounds.

Served as paper reviewer for the Respect conference 2022.

Served as a reviewer for the WCM-21-00502-IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine

Served as both position paper and poster reviewer for the Respect conference 2021.