
COMMON’s Student Innovation Award winner, Joseph Dreese, is from Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Dreese’s project outlined the significance of phishing attacks and the steps that organizations can take to defend against them. The project can be used as a reference by universities and other organizations to develop and execute successful phishing simulations at a relatively low cost.
Although, he knew very little about IBM before he attended POWERUp18, that all changed within a matter of days. By attending sessions and immersing himself in the event, Dreese was able to see how different companies from around the world use the platform and how they are using it to meet their needs through innovation. When asked about the value of winning the award and attending POWERUp18, Joseph commented, "This conference was an amazing experience that will have a lasting impact on my professional life."