University of North Texas 
NEXUS
Announcement:
Announcement: The first annual NEXUS Conference will be held at UNT on April 2, 2026.
For more information, see the call for abstracts linked here. Abstracts will be accepted from November 1 to February 1. To submit an abstract and register for the conference, click here.
SUPPORT CYBERCRIME RESEARCH
Donate to the CISO XC/NEXUS Cybercrime & Social Behavior Research Fund
Donate to the CISO XC/NEXUS Cybercrime & Social Behavior Research Fund
Network for Exploring the Intersection of Humans & Cybercrime
NEXUS fosters student-driven innovative and interdisciplinary social science research
on cybercrime, creates networking opportunities with cybersecurity professionals and
industry leaders, connects students with internship and future employment opportunities,
and develops professional conference presentation experience.
NEXUS is an innovative, interdisciplinary research initiative developed through a
partnership between the Department of Sociology at the University of North Texas (a
top-tier R1 research university and the largest university in Dallas–Fort Worth area)
and CISO XC, a highly respected professional cybersecurity organization founded by
Cecil Pineda, Randy Potts, and Jaimin Shah, three seasoned Chief Information Security
Officers (CISOs) from the DFW area. The mission of NEXUS is to foster unique social
science research on the human and social elements of cybercrime and cybersecurity
within an ever-changing, increasingly volatile, and globalized cyberspace. NEXUS accomplishes
this by promoting critical discourse and research on cybersecurity and cybercrime,
providing students with opportunities to present at professional conferences, and
helping them connect with industry leaders who can offer internship experience and
employment opportunities in the field.
This academic research unit, along with CISO XC, supports and fosters inventive student-driven
research illuminating trends in social behavior through active partnership with industry
leaders, sponsors, and advisors in cybersecurity. Cutting-edge student-led research
conducted through the Department of Sociology’s Cybercrime and Social Behavior program
is presented at the CISO XC annual professional and academic cybersecurity conference
at UNT each spring semester.
The CISO XC conference, in partnership with the Department of Sociology, NEXUS, and
the Sociology Club, promotes internship connections for UNT students to make valuable
professional contacts with industry leaders in cybersecurity. The Department of Sociology,
in affiliation with CISO XC, provides an internship program for qualifying students.
NEXUS aims to prepare and connect students for future employment by fostering active
participation in cybersecurity internships and providing invaluable experience with
professional and academic presentations. This engagement brings students together
with key industry leaders, including CISOs, the FBI, the Secret Service, cybercrime
law firms, and others, to build networks that support post-graduation employment.
For more information, please reach out to helen.potts@unt.edu and/or joe.paul@wppmedia.com for event information, sponsorship details, logistics, and other information