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A cyber crisis is unfolding: ports are stalled, software has failed, and America’s food security hangs in the balance.
That was the challenge facing 43 Duke students at the 2025 Sanford Cyber Cup, a one-day competition that places participants in the heart of a fast-moving national security crisis. Modeled after the Atlantic Council’s Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, the event pushes teams to think like senior policy advisors, briefing the National Security Council on how to respond when a cyberattack threatens critical infrastructure.
This year’s fictional crisis centered on America’s agricultural supply chain. Graduate and undergraduate students were asked to weigh technical evidence, assess domestic risks, anticipate global consequences, and deliver actionable policy recommendations. Over the course of the day, they navigated disruptions to port operations, vendor software failures, mounting international trade tensions, and competing attributions of responsibility.
“Competing students tackled a complex real-world challenge with thoughtful and impressive policy solutions,” said judge Aden Klein, a Sanford alum who now works at Premier Inc. “Cyber Cup really highlights the interdisciplinary grounding that both undergraduate and graduate students in Duke's technology policy research, classes, internships and student organizations receive.”
The Competition
Twelve teams entered the competition—seven undergraduate teams and five graduate teams. Each began by analyzing an initial scenario packet and preparing a briefing for a panel of judges. From there, the stakes only grew higher. Four teams advanced to the second round, where they faced new intelligence updates and had just 30 minutes to read, strategize, and adjust their recommendations before briefing again.
By the end of the day, two teams emerged as winners:
- Graduate Division Champion: 502 Bad Gateway (Belen Luengo-Palomino, Delaney McLaughlin, Moonwon Seo, Michael Saju)
- Undergraduate Division Champion: J2R2 (Jessica Wu, Riya Jain, Jack McMahon, Raahim Hashmi)
Building a Tech Policy Community
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The Sanford Cyber Cup was hosted by the Duke Sanford Tech Policy Program in partnership with the Duke Cyber student group. It drew not only students from Sanford, but also from Duke’s Law School, the Pratt School of Engineering, and programs including MIDS, MPP, MA in Applied Ethics and Policy, and Mechanical Engineering with AIPI.
That mix of disciplines reflects the real-world nature of cybersecurity. “It was incredible to see how much the Duke Cyber Club and broader technology policy community has grown over the past few years,” said judge Joanne Kim, Director of Business Operations at Vega Health. “It is truly a testament of Sanford’s commitment to inspiring and preparing the next generation of policy leaders.”
Faculty and staff also played key roles as judges, including Art Ehuan (Pratt), Shane Stansbury (Law School), Campbell Tucker (Sanford), Liz Sparacino (Sanford Tech Policy Program), and Merritt Cahoon (Sanford). Alumni judges included Spencer Reeves, Akanksha Ray, Aden Klein, Luke Schwartz, Joanne Kim, and Brady Kruse. The student president of Duke Cyber, Peter Banyas, also joined the panel.
Why It Matters
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The Cyber Cup may be fictional, but the stakes mirror real-world threats. Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, from energy grids to food systems, are increasingly seen as a national security priority. The competition not only tests students’ policy analysis and communication skills, it also gives them a sense of how decisions are made when information is incomplete and time is short.
Judges noted that the students’ recommendations showed creativity, collaboration, and a growing sophistication about how technology intersects with domestic and international policy.
With 43 students, 12 teams, and a panel of faculty, staff, alumni, and student leaders, the 2025 Sanford Cyber Cup showcased the vitality of Duke’s growing tech policy community. And as the fictional crisis unfolded, the students in the room weren’t just competing—they were practicing what it means to lead in moments of uncertainty.