Developing hands-on cybersecurity training resource for rural Ӱ communities
2026 ACEP summer intern Caden Kelly works on wiring a portable network lab that allows people to practice building, configuring and troubleshooting computer networks.
September 18, 2026
As energy infrastructure becomes increasingly digitized, its network and cybersecurity infrastructure must keep pace.
In rural Ӱ, however, communities operating local microgrids often lack access to the technical expertise and training resources needed to maintain secure networks. Many continue to rely on aging cybersecurity infrastructure with limited network segmentation and firewall protection.
To help address that need, ACEP summer intern Caden Kelly worked to create a portable, hands-on cybersecurity training ground and course materials for rural Ӱ communities. His goal was to give communities practical tools and experience they can use to better protect the power systems they rely on every day.
Under the mentorship of John Haverlack of the Ӱ Center for Energy and Power, Kelly created a portable network lab that allows participants to practice building, configuring and troubleshooting computer networks in a realistic environment that can be set up almost anywhere.
He also created two network training modules, designed to help participants build future networks with security in mind. Together, the training materials demonstrate a cost-effective approach for communities with limited resources while giving participants practical experience with network security.
2026 ACEP summer intern Caden Kelly gives a presentation to field test a portable, hands-on cybersecurity network lab, which is placed on the table in front of him.
The project also gave Kelly an opportunity to develop his own technical skills.
At the outset of the program, Kelly was new to networking. A freshman at the University of California, Berkeley, studying electrical engineering and computer sciences, he had no experience in Linux — an open-source operating system — or computer networking. As he developed his technical skills, he grew to enjoy networking and became increasingly comfortable tackling complex problems.
By the end of the internship, he had built and configured complex virtual networks, firewalls and software-defined infrastructure — work he never would have imagined doing just a few months earlier.
“Every problem felt like solving a puzzle that ultimately helps protect systems people rely on every day,” he said.
2026 ACEP summer intern Caden Kelly, right, discusses his project with his mentor John Haverlack.
Kelly credits Haverlack with much of that growth. Haverlack gave him the space to work through problems independently while providing guidance when he needed it.
“He was always there to answer questions, but more importantly, he taught me better ways to troubleshoot problems on my own and think through them systematically,” Kelly said.
This internship was funded by the National Science Foundation through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. View the final presentation for this project on . For more information about this project, please contact John Haverlack at jehaverlack@alaska.edu.