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Welcome to the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026 schedule. Use this page to browse sessions, view speaker and session details, and build your personal agenda for June 22–24 in Rogers, Arkansas. Check back through May as additional sessions and details are added.
Audience: Security Professionals clear filter
Monday, June 22
 

9:30am CDT

*Workshop: Setting Up and Maintaining a Science DMZ - Part I

If you need a secure network that firewalls research activities from your enterprise network, this is a workshop for you. Providing a framework for implementing segmented, locally managed academic technology environments for cybersecurity, networking, wireless, and advanced computing programs, a DMZ allows researchers to engage freely with their data without the concerns faced on the larger campus network. The proposed architecture uses isolated wired and wireless zones, internal firewalls, localized virtualization, and edge-level administrative control to support hands-on instruction — including red/blue team exercises, wireless security testing, and data-intensive computing — while protecting institutional systems.


Max Attendee Tickets Available: 25
*IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Attendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this workshop. In addition, pre-registration for this workshop session is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/


Speakers
avatar for Jason Zurawski

Jason Zurawski

Science Engagement Engineer, ESnet
Monday June 22, 2026 9:30am - 11:30am CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

12:30pm CDT

*Workshop: Setting Up and Maintaining a Science DMZ - Part II

Continuing the morning session.

If you need a secure network that firewalls research activities from your enterprise network, this is a workshop for you. Providing a framework for implementing segmented, locally managed academic technology environments for cybersecurity, networking, wireless, and advanced computing programs, a DMZ allows researchers to engage freely with their data without the concerns faced on the larger campus network. The proposed architecture uses isolated wired and wireless zones, internal firewalls, localized virtualization, and edge-level administrative control to support hands-on instruction — including red/blue team exercises, wireless security testing, and data-intensive computing — while protecting institutional systems.

Max Attendee Tickets Available: 25
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Attendees must first complete their Joint Conference registration prior to attending this workshop. In addition, pre-registration for this workshop session is required at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/
Speakers
avatar for Jason Zurawski

Jason Zurawski

Science Engagement Engineer, ESnet
Monday June 22, 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA
 
Tuesday, June 23
 

8:45am CDT

Beyond the Campus: Securing Student Data Across Third‑Party Apps and Cloud Platforms

As higher education institutions expand their digital ecosystems, student data is increasingly shared across third-party applications and service providers, SaaS platforms, and cloud repositories—often outside direct institutional control.
This session explores how campuses can regain visibility and control over sensitive data by monitoring usage, enforcing security policies, and mitigating risk across external applications. Learn practical strategies to address key concerns such as access control, data movement, and application security—without hindering academic innovation.
Speakers
BS

Brian Scharlin

Director of SLED Capture, Higher Education, Fortinet
Sponsors
avatar for Fortinet

Fortinet

Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Learn more... Read More →
Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

11:00am CDT

Phantoms in the Portal: Ghost Students and Financial Aid Fraud

Higher Education is under attack by ghosts. I know how crazy that sounds, but according to a U.S. Department of Education press release form May 2025, approximately $90 million in federal student aid has been awarded and released to ineligible recipients in the prior three years. Your institution may have already dealt with this, is currently dealing with this, or could fall victim in the future.  Our goal in this session is to learn who these ghosts are, what they want, and discuss methods used by other institutions to stop them and mitigate resulting damage left behind.
Speakers
avatar for Natalie McNish

Natalie McNish

Director of Internal Audit & Risk Management, Missouri State University
Natalie B. McNish serves as the Director of Internal Audit and Risk Management at Missouri State University, where she leads efforts to strengthen governance, ensure compliance, and promote effective risk management practices. With a strong background in auditing and organizational... Read More →
Tuesday June 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador C 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
 
Wednesday, June 24
 

11:30am CDT

State of Higher Ed Cybersecurity

Higher education institutions face growing cyber threats amid limited resources and complex environments. This panel brings together cybersecurity leaders to share practical approaches for implementing best practices, prioritizing risk, and maximizing impact with constrained teams and budgets.
Panelists will also discuss strategies for communicating cyber risk to leadership and managing the opportunities and challenges of AI within academic environments. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen cybersecurity resilience across their institutions.

Moderators
avatar for Chad Johnson

Chad Johnson

Director of Cybersecurity, ARE-ON
Speakers
TS

Tamya Stallings

Director of Computer Services, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home
avatar for Bryan Carnahan

Bryan Carnahan

CIO, University of Arkansas at Rich Mountain
avatar for Ryan Hoffman

Ryan Hoffman

Director of Information Systems, North Arkansas College
Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
 
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