UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Asa Reynolds, an integrated undergraduate-graduate student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations in the Penn State College of Information Systems and Technology (IST), recently took first place in a national cybersecurity competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
One of 118 student competitors from 67 colleges and universities, Reynolds was named winner of the Cyberforce Conquer the Hill Reign Competition. The event — held on July 19 by the DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response and developed by the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory — challenged participants’ knowledge of cybersecurity, computer science, mathematics, cryptography and critical thinking skills in a video game-style escape room.
The competition transpired within a 2D dungeon crawler platformer game, presenting a series of time-sensitive challenges that had to be completed in order. Participants had to piece back together a nuclear reactor, hack through server rooms, interact with artificial intelligence robots, decrypt secret messages and navigate their way through several levels.
Reynolds competed as an individual, representing the University, the College of IST and Penn State’s Competitive Cyber Security Organization (CCSO). After finishing the 2024 competition in second place, he aimed to take top honors in 2025, his last year of eligibility.
“I knew I had to make the most of my final chance this year,” Reynolds said. “I spent a significant amount of time training my cybersecurity skillset in the months leading up to the event and competed in more than 20 competitions to build experience working under pressure.”
Reynolds expects to complete his bachelor’s degree this fall and is on track to complete his master’s degree next spring. He has a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the Penn State Chapter of the Order of the Sword & Shield National Honor Society. He is president of the IST Living Learning Community, an IST instructional assistant and a team captain for CCSO.
“I’m grateful to Penn State, the College of IST and everyone in the Competitive Cyber Security Organization for their support,” he said.
