about.html

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title: About
description: Who We Are, What We Do, and How to Join
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            <h2>Who We Are</h2>
            <p>RPISEC is a computer security organization comprised primarily of students and alumni from <a href="https://rpi.edu">Rensselaer Polytechnic
                    Institute</a>. We were founded to provide resources for those interested in exploring the world of computer security.</p>
            <p>At our core, we are a group of self-taught security enthusiasts who enjoy sharing our knowledge with
                those interested in learning. We believe in the freedom of information, and do our best to prepare
                resources, organize meetings, and host educational events on our own time. Our current officers are as
                follows:</p>
            <ul class="officers">
                <li>
                    <div class="position">President</div>
                    <div class="name">Paul Biernat</div>
                </li>
                <li>
                    <div class="position">Vice President</div>
                    <div class="name">Devin Ross</div>
                </li>
                <li>
                    <div class="position">Treasurer</div>
                    <div class="name">Jeremy Goldberger</div>
                </li>
                <li>
                    <div class="position">Systems Administrator</div>
                    <div class="name">Erik Umble</div>
                </li>
                <li>
                    <div class="position">Secretary</div>
                    <div class="name">Joel McCandless</div>
                </li>
            </ul>
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            <h2>What We Do</h2>
            <h4>Weekly Meetings</h4>
            <p>On a weekly basis, the club hosts interactive educational presentations covering a wide variety of
                technical subjects related to the field of computer security. These presentations are open to anyone and
                include topics such as binary exploitation, assembly level reverse engineering, malware analysis, web
                security, cryptography, network security, digital forensics, and physical security (such as
                lockpicking).</p>
            <p>These meetings are typically held in CII (Low) 4050 on Fridays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Any changes to this
                schedule will be announced on discord</a>.</p>
            <p>Meeting notes for our weekly meetings can be found on <a href="http://tools.rpis.ec">tools.rpis.ec</a>.
            <h4>INTROSEC</h4>
            <p>During the Fall semester, we host INTROSEC meetings in addition to our regular Friday meetings. While our
                regular Friday meetings often cover advanced topics, INTROSEC meetings are designed for the absolute
                beginner to the field of computer security.</p>
            <p>No prior experience is required to get involved with INTROSEC, and we do our best to accommodate students
                of all skill levels. In addition to the weekly lectures, INTROSEC also runs a semester long CTF which
                aims to teach students the skills required to complete more realistic challenges.</p>
            <h4>Capture The Flag</h4>
            <p>RPISEC frequently participates in computer security "Capture the Flag" ("CTF") competitions, in which
                teams from around the world gather to demonstrate their proficiency in various security topics. We
                compete in both of the popular "attack / defend" and "jeopardy" style CTFs for both online and on-site
                competitions hosted by a diverse community of international organizers. RPISEC currently ranks <a
                    href="https://ctftime.org/team/572">among the top teams in the world</a>.</p>
            <h4>Provide Resources</h4>
            <p>In 2014, RPISEC was granted a room on campus through the RPI Computer Science Department. We have used
                our CTF winnings (and some outside donations) for the purpose of actively developing this room into a
                collaborative workspace housing additional security resources and hardware, available exclusively to
                active members of RPISEC.</p>
            <h4>Connect With Industry</h4>
            <p>As a club made up of some of the top talent in the US computer security field, RPISEC understands the
                value of networking with industry. We maintain relationships with a number of prominent companies and
                organizations in order to connect RPISEC members with opportunities in the form of internships and
                full-time positions.</p>
            <p>We are always looking to grow our network, so feel free to <a href="contact">get in touch</a> if you are
                looking to open a channel between RPISEC and your company or organization.</p>
            <h4>Everything Else</h4>
            <p>Among other miscellaneous activities, RPISEC members attend prominent security conferences, participate
                in community outreach, bring in guest speakers from industry, and secure funding for the use of the club
                and its members.</p>
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            <h2>How to Join</h2>
            <p>If you are an RPI student interested in joining RPISEC, fill out <a
                    href="https://cs.sympa.rpi.edu/wws/subscribe/rpisec">this
                    form</a> to be added to our mailing list.</p>
            <p>We will do our best to avoid overwhelming your inbox, but we are a very active club so you can expect at
                least one email per week announcing meeting details. These meetings are not mandatory (as we are a club,
                not a class or honors organization), though members of RPISEC are expected to maintain a reasonable
                level of activity in order to be granted access to the collaborative club workspace.</p>
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