Summer Internship Leads to New Cyber Skills: Owen Marcione
B.S. Computer Engineering, 2026
What drew you to come work at the Cal Poly California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI)?
Owen Marcione began working for the California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI) at the start of 2025. While initially searching for summer internships, he came across the opportunity to join CCI. Though he didn’t have much experience in cybersecurity at the time, it had always been a field that interested him. The enthusiasm of Rob and Henry about the work being done at CCI, combined with Owen’s eagerness to learn, were the main factors that drew him to the team.
What is your major and background?
Owen is a third-year Computer Engineering major from Sacramento, California. His primary academic interest lies in embedded systems and the intersection of software and hardware. Unlike many of his peers, he had no prior experience with coding before college, but he believes he picked it up quickly. Over the summer, he will be working for General Atomics in San Diego in a software testing role. Outside of academics and work, Owen enjoys working out, hiking, camping, and cooking.
What kind of work do you do at the CCI?
At CCI, Owen serves as an AWS Application Developer. In this role, he utilizes Amazon Web Services to design and enhance the Space Grand Challenge (SGC), an annual Capture the Flag-style game aimed at teaching cybersecurity to middle and high school students. He has been specifically focused on developing a new feature that enables players’ scores to update automatically when a 'Flag' is found. This feature has involved collaboration with other team members (notably Jacob) and has provided Owen with valuable experience in AWS and Unity development.
How has your work at CCI made you a more critical thinker?
In his first six months at CCI, Owen has encountered and tackled a variety of new challenges. One of his current projects is the In-game Scoring feature for the next SGC. While coding the feature presents its own tasks, the greater challenge lies in designing a system to transmit data securely and efficiently from the database to the user. This has pushed him to think critically about system architecture, creatively integrate AWS technologies, and continually explore new tools and methods.
What has been your favorite part of working at CCI, and what is you looking forward to?
Owen’s favorite aspect of working at CCI has been the collaborative and supportive team environment. As the newest member of the team, he has benefited greatly from the willingness of his colleagues to share knowledge and provide guidance. He has especially enjoyed contributing to a project with real-world impact—developing an application used by hundreds of users nationwide. Participating in the 2025 Space Grand Challenge was a highlight, as he witnessed the excitement of the players and helped troubleshoot in real time with the team. Looking ahead, Owen is excited to return next year to further improve the SGC and continue expanding his skills in software and cloud engineering