Eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Logistics
Q: Who can compete?
A: Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, professional, or law program, including students in military academies, on the date of the registration deadline are eligible to compete.
Q: I have no experience in cybersecurity or cyber conflict, can I still apply?
A: There is no explicit major, coursework, or prior experience in cyber conflict necessary to compete. Successful applicants will be able to draw from their academic interests to understand geopolitical issues and formulate recommendations around contemporary cyber policy.
Q: I'm interested in competing but I can't find teammates. What should I do?
A: If you attend Columbia University, please refer to this sign-up sheet to find teammates. For those outside of Columbia University, we recommend that you consult with your institution's relevant faculty and student organizations to find teammates.
Q: Are there any requirements on team composition? Do teams have to be from one department within an academic institution?
A: Each team must include three to four students. A maximum of three teams per school will be allowed (more details below).
Each team should also recruit a faculty member to act as their team coach and mentor. While coaches are not required to take part in the competition event, their participation is highly encouraged to ensure that all teams have access to assistance in crafting their responses.
Q: Do I need to have a coach? Does the coach have to be a professor?
A: Each team is encouraged to recruit a faculty member, competition alumni, or industry professional to act as their team coach and mentor. Coaches are not required to take part in the actual competition, but should provide their competitors assistance in crafting their responses to ensure all teams have necessary support.
Co-coaching is permitted and must be disclosed to the organizers.
Coaches can be tasked to multiple teams.
Q: How do I register?
A: To be considered for the competition, interested teams must submit all registration materials, including all team information, by the registration deadline of September 26th, 2022 (11:55 pm ET). After all registration materials have been received, teams selected to compete will receive invitations and competition materials.
Q: If my team registers, will we be allowed to compete in the competition?
A: This year's competition is capped at 28 teams. The organizers will evaluate applications on a number of criteria, including:
1) Each team's submitted application, including their response to open questions around cyber issues;
2) A desire to maintain a strong competition by promoting diverse backgrounds, professional experiences, and educational institutions;
3) The number of teams participating from an individual school and institution.
Q. My team is composed of students from different schools within a university. Are we allowed to participate?
A: Due to the 28-team limit, organizers are only allowing three teams per single school within one academic institution. However, if your team is composed of students from different schools within one academic institution, you are not subject to this restriction.
For example: Only three Columbia SIPA teams or three Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) teams will be allowed, but cross-school teams such as SIPA-School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) or cross-institute teams SIPA-HKS teams will still be allowed to compete.
Q. How do we decide which teams from a school will participate? What if four teams from a single school within an academic institution apply?
A: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, with additional teams immediately being placed on a waitlist. Once registration has ended, the organizers will contact any teams that are from the same school that has exceeded the cap. If your school has an official team selection process, organizers will honor that selection process. If your school does not have an official team selection process, the organizers will evaluate using the aforementioned selection criteria and will factor in when the team's application was submitted.
If you have questions on registration and team selection, please contact cyber912@columbia.edu.
COVID-19 Policies (Updated August 2022)
Q: Will this be a virtual competition?
A: The 2022 NYC Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge will be held in-person. All teams and judges will be expected to participate in person.
Q: What is the vaccination policy?
A: All participants are required to be vaccinated, or provide a negative PCR test within three days of the competition. Organizers will check these details when teams check in.
Q: What is the policy on masks?
A: All competitors are expected to be masked for the duration of the competition. Competitors and judges are strongly encouraged to utilize disposable or reusable N95, KN95, or KF94 respirators.
Q: I participated in the first day of the competition and am now unwell. What do I do?
A: Individuals that are feeling sick should immediately inform competition organizers at cyber912@columbia.edu.
Q: Can you share your complete COVID policy?
A: Please check back soon, it will be added here.
Competition Structure and Round Format
Q: I've registered, now what? How is the competition structured?
A: Several weeks before the competition, all registered teams will receive Intelligence Report I, setting the stage for the simulated cyberattack. The teams are given approximately two to three weeks to prepare their decision documents. The decision document due date, approximately one week before the presentation, as well as submission instructions will be included in the first intelligence packet.
The two days of the competition are divided into qualifying, Semifinal, and Final Rounds. Teams advancing to the Semifinal Round will be announced at an evening reception, where they receive Intelligence Report II, further adjusting the simulated scenario.
On the morning of the second day of the competition, Semifinalist teams present their modified policy recommendations, based on the evolved scenario. Teams advancing to the Final Round receive Intelligence Report III and very limited time to adjust their recommendations. In the afternoon of the second day, finalist teams present on a stage to a panel of high-profile and expert judges. The competition concludes with an awards reception.
Q: Do teams have to attend both days of the competition?
A: All teams must participate in-person. Those teams that do not advance from the qualifying and Semifinal Rounds are encouraged to stay through the second day of the competition to support their fellow students and take advantage of the programming that will run on Saturday.
Q: Is there a participant fee for the competition?
A: There is no fee associated with competing in Cyber 9/12. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be an organizer requesting a fee, please report it to cyber912@columbia.edu.
Q. Does the competition cover teams' travel and accommodation costs?
A: No, the competition does not cover any team travel/accommodation costs. We recommend teams reach out to their academic institutions or external sponsors to request financial assistance.
Q: How is the Qualifying Round structured?
A: No visuals can be used in the written brief.
A: Before the Qualifying Round, teams are expected to submit a written cyber policy brief to organizers. This brief will be evaluated and factored into the final qualifying score.
During the Qualifying Round held on day one, teams will brief a panel of judges. For this, teams are expected to prepare a decision document based on Intelligence Report I. Teams will then deliver a ten-minute oral briefing based on a separate decision document. This will be immediately followed by a ten-minute Q&A round by the judges. Judges will provide feedback and score the students based on their performances.
The final score of the Qualifying Round will be a combination of the oral briefing score and the written brief score. Teams advancing to the Semifinal Round will be announced at the day one reception and provided with Intelligence Report II.
Q: How is the Semifinal Round structured? Is it the same as the Qualifying Round?
A: Sources and citations are not required for the decision document. If used, they will count toward the total page count.
A: The Semifinal Round is structured as a head-to-head competition where two teams will take turns briefing a single panel of judges. Teams will be expected to prepare a new decision document based on Intelligence Report II. Teams will decide the presentation order and proceed accordingly. The first team will deliver a ten-minute oral briefing based on their decision document. This will be immediately followed by a ten-minute Q&A round by the judges. At this point, teams will rotate, and the second team will follow the same format.
Once the round is over, and the judges have scored in private, teams will receive feedback. This feedback will be directed to both individual teams and collective round performance. The top four teams from the Semifinal will qualify for the Final Round and will be moved to a holding room to prepare for Intelligence Report III.
Q: How is the Final Round structured?
A: Teams will have only fifteen minutes to prepare for the Final Round. Teams will be held in a room and released when it is their time (1) to review Intelligence Report III and (2) to brief the Final Round judges. Teams will deliver a ten-minute oral briefing based on the scenario, and will immediately have a ten-minute Q&A round by judges.
Q: What is the difference between a written brief and a decision document?
A: There are two separate types of written products that teams will be expected to provide during the competition.
Written Cyber Policy Brief
- Teams will write a policy brief exploring the challenges faced by state, military, and industry actors related to the cyber incident described in the scenario materials. The brief must also recommend appropriate actions and policy responses for the actors involved. The page length and word count limits of the brief can be found in the "Written Brief Instructions" accompanying Intelligence Report I.
-This policy brief will be graded according to a rubric developed by competition organizers and will factor into the final score for the Qualifying Round.
- This is only required for the Qualifying Round.
Decision Document
- Teams will also be required to submit a "decision document" accompanying their oral presentation at the beginning of the competition round.
- The "decision document" will be a prepared memo, a maximum of one single-sided 8.5" by 11" page in length, outlining the team's policy response alternatives, decision process, and recommendations.
- This is required for both the Qualifying and Semifinal Rounds
Q: Is there a required format for the oral briefing?
A: Each team must decide how to best conduct their briefing. There is no prescribed format for the structure or format of presentations. Presentations are limited to ten minutes.
Q: Can presentation aids be used for the oral presentations?
A: No presentation aids (e.g., PowerPoint, props, and posters) are permitted. Teams will not be allowed to use electronic devices such as cellular phones and computers during the competition events, when teams are presenting or answering judge questions. However, teams may use electronic devices such as cellular phones and computers during the breaks between rounds. Paper notes are highly encouraged at all times during the competition.
Q: Can teams use charts in the Written Brief?
A: No visual aids can be used in the written brief.
Q: What sources can I use to prepare my responses? How should these sources be cited?
A: Teams can conduct secondary research to prepare for the competition, as well as engage with external experts. Sources and citations are not required for the decision document. If used, they will count toward the total page count.
Q: Can teams confer with external experts throughout the competition?
A: Before the competition, teams are encouraged to seek outside help from external experts to develop their policy briefs. Teams are expected to rely on their coaches, in particular, to help develop and revise their policy ideas for the competition.
During competition events, when teams are presenting or answering judge questions, no outside assistance is allowed for teams — including consultation with external experts. However, teams may confer with their coaches during the breaks between rounds. No consultation will be allowed in preparing for the Final Round.
Q: How are written briefs handled?
A: Please check back for more details. Written briefs will be evaluated by non-student members of the organizing team.
Q: How are decision documents handled?
A: Please check back for more details. During the competition, timekeepers will share the decision documents with judges and give them two minutes to review their contents.
Q: How will my team receive Intelligence Report II and Intelligence Report III?
A: Please check back for more details. Semifinalists will receive Intelligence Report II via email. Finalists will receive Intelligence Report III in person.
Other
Q: Will there be keynotes or any networking activity?
A: Please check back for updates. The competition will feature keynotes, an evening reception, panel discussion, and networking opportunities.
We encourage competitors and judges to join the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge Alumni Group on LinkedIn where we will post job vacancies and internship opportunities.
Q: Will the organizers cover the cost of hotels or flights that are canceled and non-refundable?
A: Unfortunately, no. Due to the unforeseen circumstances and development of COVID-19 and its variants, neither Columbia University or the Atlantic Council will cover or refund the cost of flights or lodging.
Q: What prizes will be awarded?
A: There will be awards for the top-performing teams based on score, as well as team awards for best written brief, best oral presentation, best teamwork, and most creative policy response alternative. Past competition winners have been awarded passes to the BlackHat Conference in Las Vegas.