University of North Texas 
DENTON (UNT), Texas — A new initiative at the University of North Texas is connecting sociology students with professional development and internship opportunities
in the cybersecurity field.
The Network for Exploring the Intersection of Humans and Cybercrime — known as NEXUS — is a collaborative effort between the UNT Department of Sociology and CISO XC, a cybersecurity organization based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The program serves as an incubator for students conducting social science research
on issues relevant to high-level cybersecurity professionals, also known as chief
information security officers, or CISOs.
Helen Potts, founder and research and development director for NEXUS, said the program
was created to address a gap in existing research.
“Most of the cybercrime research and data we have are very criminal justice-oriented,
but so much of what drives cybercrime is social,” said Potts, who is also a principal
lecturer in sociology at UNT. “I thought, ‘Why aren’t we looking at the human aspect
of these things?’”
Student researchers in NEXUS examine issues from multiple perspectives, including
those of information security professionals and cybercrime perpetrators, often referred
to as threat actors. Recent projects have explored topics such as artificial intelligence
and cybersecurity, cyberbullying among children and international cyberwarfare. Students
may pursue their own research interests or investigate questions posed by industry
professionals.
“These CISOs are asking us for sociological insight into common issues — why some
people are reluctant to change their passwords, or how to teach school-age children
the importance of cybersecurity,” Potts said. “We’re researching those questions while
also pairing that with student interest. We want NEXUS to be student-driven.”
NEXUS also supports students who want to align their academic paths and professional development with careers in information security. Potts is organizing the first annual NEXUS Cybercrime and Social Behavior Research Conference, scheduled for April 2026, which will bring together students and leaders from across the university. Potts and the Department of Sociology are also supporting UNT’s National Security and Economic Strategy Initiative and the creation of a Cybercrime and Social Behavior certificate that will become available to UNT students beginning in Fall 2026.
NEXUS will also introduce a CISO XC-endowed scholarship for UNT students interested
in studying cybercrime. Internship placements are available for students seeking hands-on
industry experience, and the program has established advisory partnerships with companies
including United Airlines, Visa and MasterCard.
“Our goal was to pair academia with industry from the start,” Potts said. “That partnership
helps us understand what’s happening on the ground and begin finding solutions.”
One student already contributing to that work is Natalia Heringer, a doctoral candidate
in sociology. Although her research primarily focuses on gender-based violence, Heringer
identified connections between that work and cybercrime after joining NEXUS.
“Digital platforms and technologies facilitate violence in many ways, and tracking
that violence is an important step in addressing it,” she said.
For her NEXUS project, Heringer analyzed a case study involving a social media influencer
who trained an algorithm to deliver predatory content and imagery. She said studying
perpetrators’ methods can help cybersecurity professionals — and policymakers — develop
safeguards and tracking tools to prevent future crimes.
“I hope to become a sociology professor, and when I think about mentoring undergraduates,
I know this kind of research will be increasingly important,” Heringer said. “I’m
excited to help students think critically about their digital lives and how the ethics
they apply online can affect life beyond the screen.”
For more information about the 2026 NEXUS Cybercrime & Social Behavior Research Conference
or to submit a conference abstract, click here.