Immersed in Engineering

Building Tomorrow Together: Justin Wright

Justin Wright has been driven by curiosity from the very start. As a child, he would take apart door handles just to understand how they worked. That early fascination with how things fit together evolved into a passion for engineering and cybersecurity.

When his mom discovered the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE), his family made a major move across the country. The decision proved transformative.

“The number of connections and opportunities has been mind-boggling,” Justin said. “More than you’d expect, even in college.”

At ASCTE, every subject is taught through an engineering lens, from the history of aqueducts in ancient Babylon to technical writing in English classes.

Justin entered as a sophomore and quickly adapted to the accelerated coursework. He thrived in the immersive learning environment, gaining field experiences and an internship with TVA, where he was exposed to real-world cybersecurity applications.

From tinkering with door handles to exploring the cryptic corridors of cybersecurity, Justin shifted his mindset from dissecting the tangible to building the invisible.

With TVA, Justin worked on offensive security, thinking like a hacker to protect critical infrastructure and assets. He scanned websites for vulnerabilities, tested login pages and explored exploitation methods.

“We spot problems and poke holes,” Justin explained. “We think like hackers to safeguard the critical systems the Tennessee Valley depends on.”

His favorite area is network engineering, specifically working with routers and switches. He’s captivated by the abstract and obscure nature of cybersecurity – how simple components can be combined to create powerful systems.

“I’ve always wondered how people can make amazing things from simple parts,” Justin said. “It’s like a puzzle, seeing things all come together.”

Justin plans to pursue computer network engineering in college, focusing on network infrastructure that keep things flowing smoothly and securely for end users.

All of this, he said, is driven by a core value of service. It’s no wonder TVA’s internship program was a perfect fit for him.

“I get to learn while I help people,” he said.

And cybersecurity, he’s learned, is a field that’s always changing – so the mission of service will endure.

“The change is a constant,” he said. “And that excites me.”