I first learned about the APAN Fellowship Program through a colleague who is a former APAN fellow, who encouraged me to apply. At that time, I had limited knowledge about APAN itself; however, I was motivated by the opportunity to engage with an international platform. Upon being selected as a fellow for APAN61, I felt both surprised and deeply grateful, recognizing that this would be a valuable and meaningful opportunity for my professional development as a network professional.

APAN Introduction & Fellowship

This program introduced APAN and its vision and mission to the fellows, clarifying my understanding of the organization. It also provided an opportunity to learn about fellow participants, their professional roles, and research areas, which supports future collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Learning and Connecting

Throughout the week, I gained exposure to new technologies while also connecting with professionals from different countries. These interactions enhanced my understanding of diverse cultures, networking practices, and research interests, and laid the foundation for future collaboration within the international community.

Securing the Digital Campus Workshop

One of the most memorable sessions for me was the Securing the Digital Campus workshop. The resource persons were highly skilled and knowledgeable in the subject matter. Through this session, I learned about the latest tools and techniques in ethical hacking and system penetration testing, including brute-force attacks, SQL injection vulnerabilities, file upload vulnerabilities, and best practices for security engineers. I also gained insights into analyzing attacker behavior to enhance the security of websites and campus area network systems. In addition, the workshop included hands-on training, which significantly strengthened my practical understanding. I am now confident in applying the knowledge and skills acquired in my workplace and sharing them with other network professionals.

You Choose what to Learn in Security

This session conducted by Jamie Gillespie, Independent Consultant. His presentation was excellent. I learned very important topics from the session about email security, DNS security and DDoS attacks and countermeasures. Now I follow the best practices of email security in the case of admin of email server.

Learning Path for future network Engineer

This session presented several key learning pathways for future network engineers, including APIE, APNIC, ICNA, and the IIT Research Lab. I have shared details of the APIE program with my professor, Dr. Md. Sarwar Hosain, PhD, to help promote these opportunities among undergraduate and graduate students interested in networking careers.

Arrangements of the Program

Overall, the arrangement of the program was excellent. The inauguration ceremony, technical sessions, working group meetings, and closing ceremony were all well organized and professionally conducted. The quality of food and accommodation was also highly satisfactory. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all members involved in successfully organizing and delivering the program.

Reflections
Participation in APAN61 was a highly enriching experience, offering both valuable technical exposure and opportunities for meaningful professional collaboration. I am grateful to APAN for this fellowship and look forward to contributing more actively to future APAN meetings through shared knowledge and experience.