Case Study: Louisiana Tech University trains job-ready cybersecurity professionals with Exterro FTK

Educating the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

Louisiana Tech University, led in part by Associate Professor Dr. Brad Glisson, set out to strengthen its digital forensics, cybersecurity and reverse engineering programs to address a national shortage of trained cyber professionals and to meet the expectations of scholarship and government hiring programs. The challenge was giving students both deep, manual forensic fundamentals and familiarity with an industry‑accepted toolkit so they could compete for NSF and DoD scholarship placements, internships, and future government or private-sector roles.

The university adopted Exterro FTK, teaching students manual techniques first and then using FTK’s intuitive, industry‑standard interface for faster, real‑world analysis. Students earn certifications, gain internship and competition experience (the Cyber Defense team advanced to regionals in its second year), and are better prepared for employment—employers report graduates with FTK experience are easier to onboard and more competitive for roles in government, law enforcement, and private firms.

Louisiana Tech University

Brad Glisson

Associate Professor