Cybersecurity
Texas Cyber Clinic
About Us
Texas Cyber Clinic
The Texas Cybersecurity Clinic is a two-semester, learn-then-do experience where student teams provide free cybersecurity services to Texas small businesses, public agencies, and nonprofits.
In semester one, students learn core cybersecurity best practices and how to put cyber protections in place inside organizations. In semester two, they put those skills to work with Clinic clients, helping build a stronger, more cyber-resilient Texas while gaining hands-on, field-tested experience.
Both courses are taught and supervised by Professor Francesca Lockhart of the Strauss Center.
Texas Cyber Clinic Services
Clinic student teams assess, design, and render a customized cybersecurity improvement project plan for their client organizations.
Clinic services include, but are not limited to:
- Cyber risk assessment
- Asset inventory
- Policy creation
- Security software configuration
- Email and network security assistance
- Incident response planning
- Customized cyber training and awareness
- Recommendations for advanced services, trainings, and resources
Prospective clients should contact Senior Research Program Coordinator Susan Crane at scrane@austin.utexas.edu to be connected with Francesca Lockhart and learn more about Clinic services.
Apply
Students: Apply to Join the Cyber Clinic
Applications for Fall 2026-Spring 2027 are closed. Applications for the Spring 2027 - Fall 2027 cohort will open in Fall 2026.
Applications for Fall 2026-Spring 2027 are closed. Applications for the Spring 2027 - Fall 2027 cohort will open in Fall 2026.
- Participation is limited to a small number of exceptional undergraduate and graduate students from any college or school.
- Strong candidates will be able to commit to two semesters of coursework and possess proven teamwork skills, an interest in learning and applying the technical aspects of cybersecurity, and a commitment to improving cyber resilience in Texas.
- No prior cybersecurity knowledge or experience required.
To Apply, Students Must:
- Be registered UT students in residence at UT during the semesters of Fall 2026 – Spring 2027. Students must also be available to take the both semesters in person.
- Have a GPA of at least 3.25.
- Be either an upper-division undergraduate student, or a graduate student in any major or degree program with the exception of graduate students enrolled in the MSISP and MSIS programs within the iSchool. Graduate students are encouraged to connect with their advisors or track supervisor to obtain approval to enroll in the course sequence before applying.
- Be able to complete all activities required during the program, including the Fall 2026 course and the Spring 2027 clinic course, which includes regular meetings with their assigned student team, the course instructor, and the client organization.
Applications should include
- A detailed statement of interest that explains your academic and professional interests and why you are seeking to participate in the Texas Cybersecurity Clinic.
- Résumé with your complete contact information, including email address, UT EID, and phone number.
- One unofficial college transcript (academic summary) which includes grades for the most recent semester.
- Short answers (250 words or less) to both of the two following cybersecurity-related questions:
Please describe who or what poses the largest contemporary cybersecurity threat to US-based businesses and explain why.
While surveying your client’s cybersecurity posture, you observe a vulnerability that you know how to remediate. However, this fix/process was not taught in the first semester of the clinic, and you’ve never done it before. What next steps do you take?
Please contact Susan Crane at scrane@austin.utexas.edu if you have any questions. Applications for Fall 2026-Spring 2027 are closed. Applications for the Spring 2027 - Fall 2027 cohort will open in Fall 2026.
