Women In AppSec

=WELCOME=

Women in Application Security Program
The purpose of the Women in AppSec Program is to increase the participation of women in the field of application security. The program was successfully launched in 2011 at AppSec USA, and the aim is to run the program at every OWASP Global AppSec in 2014. The Women in AppSec program is for female undergraduate and graduate students, instructors, and professionals who are dedicated to information security or application development. Applicants are encouraged to submit their details to the program running in conjunction with the conference nearest to their area of residence.

Regional conferences are encouraged to host the Women in AppSec program, as well. You will find detailed planning instructions here, and you can find templates used in previous years to help you get started with program organization. We encourage you to read this page in full, and reach out to Samantha Groves (Samantha.Groves@owasp.org) if you have any questions on how to successfully run the program at your event.

Contact Us
If you are interested in running the Women in AppSec Program for your event, please contact OWASP Project Manager, Samantha Groves (Samantha.Groves@owasp.org). Alternatively, please contact our Grants and Fundraising Intern, Kait Disney Leugers (Kait.Disney.Leugers@owasp.org).

=ABOUT THE PROGRAM=

Women in AppSec


The OWASP Foundation, in recognition of value to both organizations and society, is working to support and enhance programs that increase the participation of women in the field of information and application security. The OWASP Foundation Women in AppSec Program provides merit-based funding for women to attend participating OWASP AppSec conferences. OWASP’s current program objective is to encourage female students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, instructors, and professional working women who are dedicated to a career in information security and/or application development, to expand their skills and pursue application security. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to the program running within their region of residence.

Past Eligibility Criteria
Below is the list of eligibility criteria used to select the winners in 2013.


 * Has provided 2 responsive contacts as reference, and both references are familiar with the candidate, application security, and OWASP.
 * Both references have provided letters of recommendation.
 * Has relevant/appropriate achievement goals for attending the conference.
 * Is the applicant from the region that the conference is taking place in.
 * Has background in volunteering for OWASP or similar organizations.
 * Has participated in one of OWASP's programs or activities?
 * Is either studying, wishing to study, working in AppSec, or interested in working in AppSec.
 * Has financial need.
 * Is a paid OWASP member, and/or employer/school is an OWASP sponsor.
 * Has an interest in exploring application security

We encourage you to create your own set of criteria that will fit the Women In AppSec that you are planning within your region. The criteria above is meant to be a guideline of what has been used in the past.

Winners
In the past, we have typically had two winners selected for the sponsorship award; however, the number of winners depends on how much you can afford to sponsor. We recommend that you raise $3000 USD for each winner, at least. In the past, we have given each winner a free conference pass, one free training, and free travel and accommodation to attend the event.

=GLOBAL CONFERENCES=

Global AppSec Conferences
OWASP AppSec conferences bring together industry, government, security researchers, and practitioners to discuss the state of the art in software security. This series was launched in the United States in 2004 and Europe in 2005. Global AppSec conferences are held annually in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Additionally, regional events are held in locations such as Brazil, China, India, Ireland, Israel, and Washington D.C just to name a few. The aim of the foundation is to bring the Women in AppSec Program to each of the four global conference taking place in 2014.

AppSec APAC
The AppSec APAC global conference takes place in the Asian-Pacific region. This conference is a reunion of local software security leaders, and aims to present cutting-edge ideas to attendees. OWASP events attract a worldwide audience interested in “what’s next”, and this global conference is no different. The conference is expected to draw 200-250 technologists each year from Government, Financial Services, Media, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Technology, and many more. Women from the Asia-Pacific region are encouraged to apply to the program taking place during AppSec APAC.

AppSec EU
The AppSec EU global conference take place in the European region. Executives from Fortune 500 firms along with technical thought leaders such as security architects and lead developers, travel to hear the cutting-edge ideas presented by the software security industry's top talent. This conference is expected to draw 400-500 attendees each year from various regions within the Europe and beyond. Women from the European region are encouraged to apply to the program taking place during AppSec EU Research

AppSec Latam
The AppSec LATAM global conference takes place in the Latin American region. AppSec LATAM is a reunion of Latin American, software security leaders, providing a platform to discuss, participate in, and innovate within the software security industry. The conference is expected to draw 200-250 attendees from the Latin American region and beyond. Women in the Latin American region are encouraged to apply to the program taking place during AppSec LATAM.

AppSec USA
The AppSec USA global conference takes place in the North American region. AppSec USA is a world-class software security conference for technologists, auditors, risk managers, and entrepreneurs, gathering the world's top practitioner, to share the latest research and practices. This conference is expected to draw over 300 attendees within the North American region. AppSec USA is typically OWASP's biggest conference of the year so women are encouraged to apply to the program taking place during AppSec USA if they live or will be traveling from within North America.

=PLANNING=

Pre-Conference
The majority of the planning involved in running the Women in AppSec Program occurs before the conference or regional event. Below, you will find a brief outline of the tasks your team will have to take on.

Planning & Selection Team
The first step you will need to take care of is the selection of your planning and selection team. These are the individuals that will be helping you manage the pre-event planning process and the selection of the candidates. You will typically need a team of 5-6 people. The selection committee will then be broken down into several sub-committees of one to two people who will then work on sponsorship, marketing, the grading process, and the call for entries.

Step 2:
Decide on the details of the awards, such as if the winners will be provided travel and accommodations.

Budget
Come up with a budget to allocate for the award based on the expense of travel for each winner, the accommodations provided and conference pass.

Sponsorship
Develop a Sponsorship Strategy and put together a sponsorship flyer outlining the program, what you are seeking and the benefits of sponsorship. Give incentive for sponsorship and details about the program to get potential sponsors interested. Included the successes of past Women in AppSec conference events.

Sample of 2013 Sponsorship Flyer

Step 5:
Seek out sponsor for the program.

Application Process
Develop the application timeline with deadlines for each stage. Deadlines are critically important, and there has to be a cut off point. Create a deadline for when submissions should be in, for when letters of recommendation should be received, the timeline for the grading process, the date the top 5 will be announced and the date the winners will be announced.

Step 7:
Create the selection criteria and send out a call for entries. Be specific on the criteria you are looking for in candidates. Especially note that only women in the region that the conference is being held can submitted for consideration.

Sample Selection Criteria

Selection Process
Make the final selection on candidates and announce the winners.

Step 9:
Help the winners arrange travel, accommodations and other logistics. Upon their arrival at the conference center insure they are taken care of by an OWASP volunteer, someone who will get them settled and that they make it to panels and trainings without issue. The bigger the conference, the more important it is to make sure the winners are not lost in the crowd.

Post-Conference
Gather feedback from the winners. Ask the winners for a brief blurb about their experience, with a picture attached for the website. Then write up a review and lessons learned page to document the experience with the program and what can be improved upon in the future. =LOGISTICS=

The Program Committee
The Program Committee should consist of around 5-6 people. The committee should then be broken down into subcommittees of one to two people who will work on various parts of the program, including sponsorship, marketing the program, the grading process, and the call for entries.

Sponsorship
Two people will be responsible for sponsorship. They will be in charge of creating the sponsorship packages, flyers and seeking out sponsorship from other chapters and organizations.

Marketing
One person will be responsible for marketing the event. Their job will consist of putting together press releases, keeping the event planners updated on progress and communicating progress to the overall community.

Grading Process
While everyone on the committee will be involved in grading, one person will be in charge of the grading process. They will create spreadsheets similar to those originally created for the selection committee, and for making sure everyone has what they need for the grading process.

Call for Entries
Finally, one to two people will be in charge of the call for entries. Depending on the amount of entries, this might work better with two people as it requires collecting entries, arranging them and sorting them out to the other graders.

=ON THE DAY=

Training Days
Prior to the conference, the winners will arrive during the training workshops. Upon their arrival an OWASP volunteer will be around to greet them and take them to the trainings. This is to ensure that the winners are taken care of, and that they feel welcome and comfortable. The two training days prior to the conference should give the winners a chance to get to know local chapter volunteers and early attendees. Winners are encouraged to attend trainings that interest them and to mingle with fellow trainees. If there is a welcome event, winners should be encouraged to attend as well.

Conference Days
During the two days of the conference an OWASP volunteer will be available to show the winners around, introduce them to staff members, and get them acquainted with conference goers. The volunteer will also be responsible for getting the winners to the Women in AppSec scheduled activities, if any are planned. The volunteers should be made available if the winners have any questions or need help with anything. It is important that the winners get the full OWASP AppSec experience. This includes attending sessions of interests and encouraging winners to participate in the various activities provided at the Global AppSecs.

=PAST WINNERS=

Previous Women in AppSec Winners
Following their experience at AppSec, winners are encouraged to write a short piece about their experience at the conference and their participation in the Women in AppSec program. Here, they outline their experience with the Women in AppSec Program in their own words.

Tara Wilson, 2011 Winner
=CONTACT=

Contact Us
If you are interested in running the Women in AppSec Program for your event, please contact OWASP Project Manager, Samantha Groves (Samantha.Groves@owasp.org). Alternatively, please contact our Grants and Fundraising Intern, Kait Disney Leugers (Kait.Disney.Leugers@owasp.org).