Going for Gold with GSX Education

For more than 60 years, Global Security Exchange (GSX)’s best-in-class education has been the world’s most comprehensive learning environment for security management professionals. The 2021 education program supports both in-person and digital experiences, including 80+ sessions that tackle vital issues for the security profession.

The GSX Blog sat down with Lisa Terry, CPP, GSX 2021 Selection Committee Chair, for insight into what makes this year’s education lineup stand out.

What trends did the Selection Committee take note of in reviewing this year’s session proposals?

As we reviewed this year’s proposals, we were very pleased to note the abstracts were well written, challenging, and exciting. We found that a significant number of proposals fell into the Information Security and Risk Management categories. The sessions that we selected in those categories cover subject matter like:

  • Cybersecurity;
  • ESRM;
  • Risk, Threat, and Vulnerability Assessments;
  • Insider Threat;
  • Workplace Violence;
  • Crisis Management;
  • and more.

We also found that there was a number of proposals that fell into four other categories: Managing Organizations; Physical and Operational Security; Professional Development; and Digital Transformation. The sessions that we selected in those categories cover subject matter like:

  • Leadership;
  • Career Planning and Advancement;
  • Career transitioning;
  • Organizational culture;
  • Architecture, Engineering, and Design;
  • Crime prevention;
  • Security Force Management;
  • Augmented & Virtual reality;
  • Artificial Intelligence;
  • Critical and Analytical Thinking;
  • and more.

What were some of your key takeaways about the state of the security profession after reviewing the proposals?

In particular for 2021, we knew that in addition to maintaining the highest level of educational quality, we needed to provide a physical environment that prioritized the health, safety, and well-being of all GSX participants. We also knew that we needed to provide a digital learning environment for those individuals who were unable to join the in-person GSX. The GSX format needs to be nimble in order to respond to and work with emergent situations as they arise.

As you know, GSX is an event “for security professionals, by security professionals.” That’s why we conducted a blind review of the proposals, getting the feedback of more than 100 ASIS International members from across the globe with a wide range of security backgrounds. These responses gave the Selection Committee an excellent idea of the education needs of security professionals across the globe.

What excites you most about the 2021 session lineup compared to other years?

In addition to being the first in-person GSX event in two years, the GSX digital experience will support those who are not able to join us in-person in Orlando. Security professionals should expect a brand new experience. Unlike any previous year, this year’s GSX is an integrated experience with in-person and digital features…..and we will be the first GSX attendees to experience this wonderful lineup!


If you’d like to learn more about the GSX education lineup, you can check out Terry’s In the Boardroom interview with SecuritySolutionsWatch.com. Browse the full GSX session lineup and register today!