Auburn one of 10 universities nationwide to earn 3 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity designations
Published: Oct 30, 2023 8:50 AM
By Joe McAdory
Auburn University is one of only 10 institutions earning National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) designations for Cyber Operations (through 2028), Cyber Defense (through 2027) and Cyber Research (through 2024).
The NCAE-C, sponsored by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security, presented a designation letter to Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE) administration and praised the university’s continued efforts to “address the critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills.”
“The National Cybersecurity Strategy released by the White House in March 2023 points out that there are hundreds of thousands of unfilled vacancies in cybersecurity positions nationwide, and this gap is growing,” said Hari Narayanan, Computer Science and Software Engineering Department chair. “The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program is one part of the multi-pronged approach the federal government is taking to address this critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills. “CSSE has selected cybersecurity as one of its two focus areas in which to build research and education excellence. These designations are an acknowledgement of the success we have achieved, and of the quality of Auburn’s M.S. in cybersecurity engineering degree and certificate programs.”
Not only does CSSE interweave cybersecurity through a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, but the department houses the Auburn Cyber Research Center, which integrates cutting-edge technology and research to develop innovative methods of protecting our nation’s cybersecurity. It also has close ties to the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security.
The triple designation is special on multiple fronts, Farah Kandah, associate professor in CSSE and Auburn point-of-contact lead for the National Centers of Academic Excellence program, said.
“This designation is important for the students, as well as the center,” he said. “Students who are interested in studying cybersecurity will look at a variety of programs, or universities. Having this designation is like having a stamp of approval by the NSA and DHS. This puts us on the map of these elite programs that have all three designations. This shows that our program is unique.”
“We provide students with not just classroom knowledge, but we take a hands-on approach where they are job-ready and prepared to take this knowledge into the field with them after they graduate,” Kandah said. “Plus, this designation will make our students more attractive to industry partners or companies looking to hire people in cybersecurity. In short, our curriculum is designed to fit industry needs and prepare students for the workforce.”
Kandah noted that the multiple designations provide Auburn researchers with even greater opportunities to acquire funding and opens the door for student internships.
“Being a part of this rare club gives us greater exposure than other institutions who do not share these accolades,” he said. “Some grants are given just to those within the NCAE community, and we can compete for these grants. Furthermore, the summer programs and internships available to students from universities with this designation continue to help develop the cyber workforce.”
Media Contact: , jem0040@auburn.edu, 334.844.3447
The designations are "an acknowledgement of the success we have achieved..." CSSE Department Chair Hari Narayanan said.
