| N.C. A&T computer science researchers will play a key role in a national cybersecurity initiative announced this week. They will work with 12 other historically black colleges and universities on a project to dramatically grow the workforce of professionals, researchers and academics capable of leading the nation’s defense against cyber attacks.
The grant to the consortium is for the Cybersecurity Workforce Pipeline Consortium, a program that aims to engage students from elementary school to graduate school. N.C. A&T will be involved at the master’s and doctorate level. Graduates from the other colleges and universities will study and conduct research at A&T.
A&T is one of only two historically black universities with a doctoral program in computer science. The program admitted its first students last spring semester.
The university will receive $1.6 million over five years. Funding is from the National Nuclear Security Administration in the Department of Energy.
“The purpose of the research is to teach students the intricacies of cybersecurity,” said Dr. Kenneth A. Williams, principal investigator for the project and an associate professor of computer science. “This grant will help us teach more students.”
Williams will be working with Dr. Anna Yu, professor of computer science and director of the graduate program in the department.
Research will focus on cyber-identity protection and privacy in addition to cybersecurity in general.
The money will largely go toward financial support for the students in the form of fellowships and summer internships.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, and Sandia National Lab in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will host the interns. Both labs have responsibility for maintaining the safety and security of the nation’s nuclear weapons. They both have hosted previous A&T computer science graduate students as interns.
“We’re already heavily involved in cybersecurity,” Williams said. “We have the Center for Cyber Defense, which has been here for several years, and we have the Center for Advanced Studies in Identity Sciences, which conducts biometric research.”
The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated the Center for Cyber Defense as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
The lead institution in the consortium is Norfolk State University. A&T is the only North Carolina university involved.
Williams says student interest in the field is growing. Attacks like the recent hacking of Sony Pictures illustrate how high the stakes are.
“There are a tremendous number of cyberattack going on these days,” he said. “We’re teaching our students what the dangers are and how to defend against them.”
Center for Cyber Defense
Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering
- Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
- Director: Dr. Dorothy Yuan, Associate Professor, Computer Science
- For an overview of computer science research at A&T, click here.
Objectives
- To provide innovative education and training programs that prepare students to become professionals and leaders in Information Assurance.
- To become a leading academic institution for research in information assurance.
Center for Academic Studies in Identity Sciences
Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering
- Seeks to provide a variety of innovate solutions to critical identity security issues.
- Provides the intelligence community with a pool of talented researchers in biometrics. It is also focused on boosting the number of African American Ph.D. and master’s students working in biometrics.
- Director: Dr. Gerry Dozier, Professor and Chairman, Computer Science.
- More information: http://casis.ncat.edu/
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