Women’s History Month: Varaa Kukreti, Cybersecurity

Balancing a full-time Graduate Assistantship as President of the Graduate Student Government (GSG) and pursuing her M.Eng. in cybersecurity, Varaa Kukreti thrives on the edge of chaos—with a cup of coffee always in hand. Representing over 11,000 graduate students at the University of Maryland, she manages to juggle leadership duties, academics, extra research projects, and personal demands, all while staying under the 20-hour work limit. “If I weren’t a time-management ninja, I’d crash and burn under the pressure,” Varaa admits, though she insists the only crashes she experiences come from sugar highs and caffeine overloads. Her role may come with challenges, but she proudly calls her assistantship pay her “stress compensation fund,” a well-deserved perk for someone who thrives in the fast lane.

Varaa’s path to Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering (MAGE) was the result of strategic ambition and an unapologetic sense of purpose. “I’ve always been painfully clear about what I want—and, unsurprisingly, I tend to get it,” she says, reflecting on her decision to apply to only two highly competitive graduate programs. MAGE won her over with its cybersecurity-focused coursework and the chance to collaborate with renowned professors like Dave Levin and Michelle Mazurek. Her dedication has already paid off; she’s worked with both professors and even received a MAGE travel grant to attend a major conference. “Not only did I get to escape my usual routine, but I also had the privilege of representing MAGE and UMD while geeking out over all the ways security gets breached,” she shares, describing the experience as a highlight of her academic journey.

“I’m diving headfirst into a PhD because conquering the impossible is where I thrive.”

Varaa Kukreti, student, M.Eng. Cybersecurity

Varaa’s story is one of resilience, humor, and relentless drive. From her first campus job catering football games to returning to the same suite a year later as GSG President, she’s embraced every challenge head-on. “It’s basically my very own ‘rags to riches’ story—except I’m not calling anything an obstacle because, frankly, I love starting at rock bottom,” she says, her signature humor shining through. As a woman in cybersecurity, she faces the occasional boundary-pusher but focuses on the cerebral equality the field offers. Looking ahead, she dreams of becoming the “super genius mad scientist who revolutionized cybersecurity,” imagining a world where hackers pause to slow clap before attempting to break her defenses. Until then, she’s fueled by ambition, caffeine, and an unwavering goal: “I’m diving headfirst into a PhD because conquering the impossible is where I thrive.”

Published March 24, 2025