Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Students Excel at IEEE Region 5 Conference
On March 28, 2026, computer science student David Gray ’26 represented Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi at the IEEE Region 5 Cyber Challenge in Boulder, Colorado. Alongside Shelby Carroll ’26, an electrical engineering student, Gray earned second place in a competitive cybersecurity event.
Gray began preparing after the competition was announced in the fall semester by reviewing prior challenge write-ups and strengthening his technical skills. Despite this preparation, he entered the competition with some uncertainty due to academic demands, explaining that he “was not sure how [he] would perform” and chose to approach the experience “without any expectations.”
The two-hour capture-the-flag (CTF) competition consisted of 20 challenges across areas such as digital forensics, malware analysis, and network security. Early technical issues briefly limited access, but Gray and Carroll quickly adapted and continued working through the challenges.
A pivotal moment occurred during a malware analysis task when Gray successfully identified a hidden flag. His team was the only group to solve the challenge. “That was the moment I felt confident that we were performing well,” stated Gray.
Although he did not monitor the live scoreboard, Gray later learned that his team remained among the top competitors throughout the event. When the second-place result was announced, he described feeling both relieved and proud, saying that it felt like “a significant weight had been lifted” and that the experience confirmed “the preparation and effort had paid off.”
Gray’s accomplishment was part of a broader showing of student success at the IEEE Region 5 competitions. Ethan Hughes ’26, an electrical engineering student, earned first place in the Presentation Competition. Additional teams placed third in robotics, ethics, website design, and research presentations. Carroll was also recognized as the Outstanding Student Member for IEEE Region 5.
These achievements reflect the growing impact, technical excellence, and competitive strength of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi students on a regional stage.