Tina Ismail is a Catalyst CyberStart Canada graduate and a cybersecurity analyst co-op student at RBC. Tina studied electrical engineering at McMaster University and was the vice chair of IEEE, leading high-achieving engineering students, organizing technical workshops, and volunteering at IEEEXtreme. Tina has attained her GFACT certification and received the ESET Canada Women in Cyber scholarship. She was recognized as a future leader by a member of parliament and the city of Markham.
I didn’t always feel there was a space for me in tech.
Though she comes from a family of three engineers (her father and two siblings), she always felt it wasn’t for her.
Growing up, Tina was interested in the arts. She was one of the top-performing students in her art class in high school, winning awards. To this day, she experiments with sculpture, mixed media, wood shop, and painting. She likes working with her hands, and she enjoys the process. After experimenting with woodshop in class, she even bought herself a saw and a sander.
When she’s not pursuing artistic mediums, Tina writes fan fiction, publishing it on WattPad, is an avid reader, and studies the chemistry of baking to make creations her family can’t resist.
Back in grade 11, when she began planning a path forward, she considered fine arts, even architecture, but settled on engineering. “I’m not a huge fan of taking risks,” she says.
Engineering was a start, but she hadn’t found her sweet spot. A hackathon called L-hacks, led by her brother, who was the vice president at the Women in Science and Engineering Club at York University, was her entry point.
“It was one of those defining moments in my life. I looked around and thought, “Wow, everyone’s so into what they’re doing.” It was the start of something that snowballed.
Despite a pull to the arts, electrical engineering fascinated Tina.
Her dad, an engineer turned cybersecurity professional, has been an inspiration and a hero for her, and with his infamous whiteboard, he has instilled a passion for learning. He spent hours drawing diagrams on a whiteboard for Tina: “This is what a firewall does,” for instance.
“The environment of engineering is just a bit too restrictive for me. I felt I wouldn’t reach my potential. At the sites,” says Tina, “I would be working with men, and I’m used to studying with the majority of men, but it’s never been a space where I feel 100% comfortable to be myself.”
While looking for a younger, more diverse crowd, Tina stumbled upon hackathons. There were all sorts of people there, telling their stories. That’s when she got into software and technology. One thing led to another, and she was immersed in cybersecurity.
It was at the B-Sides Conference that Tina made contact with the Catalyst. She knew about TryHackMe, and she had an account, but she wasn’t active. After struggling to find balance at university, she felt overwhelmed at the thought of taking on another commitment. But when the Catalyst’s CyberStart program popped into her inbox post-event, she thought she would give it a try.
Through working in cybersecurity, Tina is resolved to protect the public and those who have historically been disadvantaged. In AI, she reflects, there is a significant environmental and creative impact; people lose their intellectual property. She wants to protect the human brain, the one that is creative and uniquely produces the art she values so much.
“I really put my all into it,” says Tina. “And I continue to do so. I love the program, and I truly appreciate all the opportunities it’s opened up for me.”
With the program’s support, she completed her GFact certification, which helped her find traction and has led her to excel in the field.
It’s honestly a dream come true. I’m really grateful for the program. I’ve found that I belong in cybersecurity now.