Lewis University - Alumni & Friends

Digital Forensics expert/alumnus shares tips with Computer Forensics class

Published: March 8, 2013

Tinley Park Detective Tony Balzanto recently shared insights on his career in digital forensics with a Lewis University Computer Forensics class taught by Dr. Faisal Abdullah, interim chair and associate professor of Management Information Systems. Balzanto is also a Lewis University College of Business alumnus.

Balzanto spoke to the students about the various cases he had worked on and how the computer evidence was used to either convict or acquit a suspect. In an interactive and informal session, Balzanto discussed various career paths in corporate and criminal forensics field. He informed students about the growing demand for investigators of corporate fraud, espionage and employee misconduct.

Balzanto has over a decade of digital forensic experience working in both the public and private sectors. As a police officer, detective and computer forensics examiner, Balzanto has examined hundreds of computers and associated digital storage devices in both criminal and administrative investigations. He is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children task force for the Cook County State’s Attorney and the Illinois Attorney General. In recognition of his achievements in digital forensics, Balzanto is a recipient of the Cook County Crimestoppers Forensic Services Award and the Special Agent’s Association Excellence in Law Enforcement Award.

Balzanto is also a partner at 4Discovery, LLC, a digital forensic and eDiscovery services provider to the private sector. His 600-plus hours of training includes all aspects of digital forensics, such as advanced Windows forensics, Apple Macintosh forensics, file system forensics, e-mail forensics, cellular and small-scale device forensics, data recovery and analysis, incident response and Internet trace evidence.

The event was organized as a part of the Information Systems Speaker Series initiative at Lewis University’s College of Business.

The College of Business offers a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and a bachelor’s degree in Information Security and Risk Management. Courses in the Computer Information Systems and Information Security majors are hands-on and focus on providing skills that are in high demand. Students have the option to complete their coursework, assignments and projects online using the redesigned VMware CloudLab. Scholarships, internships, job opportunities, alumni news and news articles are posted regularly on MIS Department’s Facebook page.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,500 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.

Geneca talks about software development with Lewis University students

Published: March 12, 2013

Geneca, an enterprise software development firm, hosted Lewis University Computer Science students and faculty Feb. 27 at their Oak Brook office.

View the photo gallery from the event.

Chief Technology Officer Dave Katauskas, a Lewis Computer Science alumnus from 1996 and current Computer Science Advisory Board member, arranged the visit.

Several Geneca employees talked with the students about a variety of topics. Mike Denton, another Lewis alumnus who heads recruitment efforts at Geneca, talked about job search and interview skills and gave the students a lot of very practical, timely tips for making a good impression during an interview. Other presenters described Geneca's software development process, including software architectural details and patterns the students see in their software engineering course.

“This trip was a tremendous opportunity for Lewis Computer Science students to network with current software developers, see the real-world application of what they're learning in the classroom, learn how to search for a job and position themselves for opportunities, and meet relatively recent Lewis University graduates, who have had a tremendous impact in the computer industry. The Department is very grateful to the Lewis alumni and other Genecians, who made this great afternoon possible,” Dr. Ray Klump, chair of Mathematics and Computer Science.