Auburn University leads Southeast Region Cybersecurity Center to train the next generation of cybersecurity experts

The Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center (SERC3) is dedicated to advancing cybersecurity technologies to protect critical infrastructure from outside threats — and it’s using the expertise of Auburn University students to help carry out the mission. 

Established in 2024 through a $10 million Department of Energy grant and supported by $2.5 million in funding from Auburn University and strategic partners, SERC3 operates as a pilot regional research and operations center in partnership with the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

The result: A cutting-edge, on-campus learning ecosystem to address real cyber threats for critical infrastructure. 

Dozens of utility industry leaders were treated to a special event on Wednesday, March 19, at Auburn Research Park, where SERC3 administrators and students demonstrated the center’s latest advancements in critical infrastructure cybersecurity, operational technology security and hands-on workforce training. 

“This center is a pilot operation and collaboration hub,” said James Goosby, Southern Company’s executive-in-residence at the McCrary Institute. “We're documenting our work, designs and processes. If other regions want to create similar centers, they can use our documentation as a starting point. It provides a foundation, showing what we did, who was involved and how relationships worked.” 

A key component of SERC3’s efforts is its on-campus experimental ecosystem, piloted by six Auburn University students who are gaining hands-on experience in cybersecurity, operational technology and power systems. 

Tylan Rudolph, a senior in industrial and systems engineering, serves as the Power Systems Lab Lead. Summerson Houck, a senior in supply chain management, coordinates vendor management and logistics for the lab. Hampton Boles, an MBA candidate, focuses on research and policy as a graduate assistant. Supporting them are Spencer Mitton, a sophomore in electrical and computer engineering, Aidan Anderson, a junior in computer science and software engineering, and Carson Easterling, a junior in electrical and computer engineering. 

These students led lab tours, showcasing the facilities and their work to industry leaders. Their work revolves around two key facilities: 

• The Power Systems Lab in Broun Hall, home to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, mimics real-world utility demands, allowing students and researchers to demonstrate power systems operations in a simulated environment. 

• The Operations Research Center at the Auburn University Research Park is designed to demonstrate how to protect operational systems from cyber threats, functioning as a testbed for cybersecurity strategies in real-world utility environments. 

Lessons learned here are directly applicable to the utility industry, providing invaluable insights into protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats. 

“The technical repertoire that we are developing in this program is second to none in the nation,” Rudolph said. “We receive an incredible opportunity here to be hands-on with our equipment and our corporate partners. That hands-on training goes into developing practical skills and be sure that we know what we're doing before we do it.” 

Both facilities collaborate to enhance the understanding of cybersecurity for power systems through advanced research and training measures. The Operations Center serves as a central operational asset management and OT security test bed which enables faculty, students and partners to engage in research that supports critical infrastructure cyber defense.  

The Power Systems Lab currently includes electric grid protection and control devices in addition to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) which enables realistic simulations of power system operations. 

“The Operations Center is where we collaborate on cybersecurity exercises focused on simulating different threats,” Anderson said.  

Easterling said it’s best to grasp utilities concepts — especially in power systems — before translating them into practical applications. 

“This hands-on experience enables you to take what you've learned and apply it practically, he said. “By building circuits with solar panels and other components, we gain a more intuitive understanding of how everything is connected. This practical approach bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications, which is crucial for industry readiness.” 

Goosby also stressed the value of hands-on experience. 

"Our ecosystem is so important because you can get the theory in the classroom, but you need hands-on experience to cement that theory. Internships, co-ops, and similar programs allow students to apply what they've learned. Whether at an applied research institution or a two-year or four-year college, the talent we are looking for is often developed through hands-on learning." 

McCrary Institute chief operating officer Nick Sellers accentuated the urgency of SERC3’s work. 

“When you think about the broader landscape, we need to ask ourselves what we are doing individually or as teams, to help protect our critical infrastructure, either directly or indirectly,” he said. “The threat is real. We know nation-state actors are increasingly working to infiltrate our systems and put malicious malware into our industrial control systems. That is why this ecosystem is so important going forward, to bring industry together to do the great work needed to better safeguard our systems.” 

Mario Eden, Dean of Engineering at Auburn University, emphasized the importance of training students through real-world experiences. 

“The word 'ecosystem' was mentioned by James (Goosby), and that's one of the things we focus on — training the next generation of undergraduates and graduate students,” said Eden, addressing utility industry key managers. “We bring in the resources of the college and the entire university to help with these efforts. Providing opportunities for our students to work on real, relevant problems is crucial for giving them the hands-on experience we strive to offer every day, both in research and in the classroom.” 

Eden also stressed the importance of collaborating with industry partners to ensure students are developing the right skills for the workforce. 

“Feedback on these activities is critical because we want to ensure we're working on the right things and training students to have the skills you need when you hire them,” he said. “They are the ones who will address future problems, not just the ones we have them work on today. It's about giving them the skills to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.”