James Jan-Feb 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 10
of major government entities, the
recent relocation of ARCYBER in
Augusta, academic partners that
support vital programs in cybersecurity and related areas, and a growing
number of private companies. While
the region of service currently has a
relatively low socio-economic status,
this award is expected to have a
transformative impact on the area.
The vital components of this
award include:
Use-inspired research. The academic partners have built relationships
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JANUA RY/F E B RUA RY 2024
with government and private agencies, including aligning research
with needs of ARCYBER and SRNL.
The relationships will be expanded
to include other government and
private partners through events and
interactions and by supporting paid
internships for students at local
small businesses.
Workforce development. The focus
will be on expanding enrollments in
existing programs at the universities
and two-year colleges in the area,
sharing materials across different
academic partners and entrepreneurship training.
Transition to practice. Strengths of
partners will be used to help transition research to practice and foster
new businesses, especially for minorities and veterans. An economic
scan conducted by the International
Economic Development Council
will also help guide future actions.
The proposed integration among
the partners, together with growing
workforce development and synergistic activities to support businesses, will prepare the team for a full
NSF Engine in two years.
There’s a saying among cybersecurity experts that there are only two
types of computers— those that have
been hacked and those whose owners do not know they’ve been hacked.
If we in Georgia are to continue
providing leading-edge cybersecurity,
it’s vital that we continue nourishing
and expanding cyber ecosystems like
the one we have in Augusta and at
Augusta University. We put ourselves
at much greater risk if we fail to do so.
Alexander Schwarzmann, PhD, is the dean of the
School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Augusta
University. He is a nationally recognized expert in
cybersecurity and computer science research.