- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Cybersecurity Leader Earns Master’s Degree from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:38:11 +0000

A ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student has earned his master’s degree after advancing cybersecurity education for hundreds of students and teachers throughout Arkansas. Andrew Bomberger, of Hot Springs, will graduate with a master’s degree in computer science on Dec. 17. While he’s grown into one of the department’s leading students, Bomberger was originally on a very different career path before discovering his passion for cybersecurity. “I used to live in Pennsylvania, and my uncles owned a dairy farm,” he said. “I grew up thinking that I would do that for a living. I got to help on the farm and figured out it was something I wasn’t interested in. Around 2016, I saw a conference talk on cybersecurity and social engineering and thought it was really fascinating. I would love to be on the side that helps people configure devices, monitor networks, and help protect people from the bad people trying to break into their networks.” Bomberger joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2017 after seeing the many awards the university’s Cybersecurity Club had won. He joined the Cyber Arena project, a cloud-based cybersecurity education initiative, in 2019. The Cyber Arena provides free cybersecurity education, training, and exercises to Arkansas students and teachers. So far, more than 2,000 students have benefited from the Cyber Arena nationwide. “I’ve really enjoyed working on the Cyber Arena for the past four years,” he said. “When I started, I only knew bits and pieces about programming. This has been a great learning and networking experience, meeting a lot of professionals in the field. I’ve grown a lot as a person and a programmer from this project. I’ve enjoyed helping others learn more about cybersecurity, and I hope I’ve inspired other kids to go into the field.”

Photos of Andrew Bomberger by Ben Krain.

Although his professors have tried to get him to enroll in a doctorate program, Bomberger said he is finished with his education for now and has been interviewing for cybersecurity positions. His graduate project has taken his work in the Cyber Arena to the next level. He is building a cloud-based emulated red team network to provide advanced cybersecurity training for teachers and students. In cybersecurity, red teams consist of hackers who evaluate system security by acting as adversaries to overcome cybersecurity controls. Companies often hire hackers to test their network protections. “My project was focused on seeing if we could automate the attack process,” Bomberger said. “It was taking specific machines that have various attack scripts and injecting them into different controlled student networks. The idea behind all of it is that it would help emulate a more realistic environment for cybersecurity training. If we can place more weaknesses and attacks into the system, we can hopefully enhance learning as a long-term goal and make the experience more dynamic for students.”

Basu Joins ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as Computer Science Professor, Emerging Analytics Center Fellow

John Hill — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:46:36 +0000

Dr. Aryabrata Basu, an expert in virtual reality and digital visualization, has joined the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as an assistant professor of computer science and research fellow for the Emerging Analytics Center, the university’s premier research center for virtual/augmented reality, visualization, and interactive technologies. “I am very excited to join ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Basu said. “I have already met the great faculty members and support staff in the Department of Computer Science and the Emerging Analytics Center, and I look forward to the teaching and research opportunities to come. There is a lot of potential here to expand upon, and I want to bring new paradigms of visualization to the people through the Emerging Analytics Center.” Basu’s research includes human-computer interaction, investigating human spatial decision making in virtual reality, and enhancing virtual reality immersive experiences in education. Some of his past projects include the ,��, and . “Dr. Basu’s enthusiasm is infectious. During the interview process, Dr. Basu reached out to Dr. Ghosh in the Department of Chemistry to explore research collaboration opportunities,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “This bodes extremely well for cross-disciplinary collaboration. With his expertise in extended reality (AR/VR), natural user interfaces, computer graphics, AI, and haptics, he will enhance and expand research and teaching in established opportunity areas offered by the department. His record of research in the application of his expertise in the healthcare field opens exciting opportunities for research funding. We welcome Dr. Basu with open arms.” A native of Kolkata, India, Basu joins ��Vlog��ý Little Rock from Emory University, where he spent six years as a visual information specialist and research scientist at the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship. He was responsible for creating digital media and 3D models through graphic design, imaging processing, and data visualization for digital scholarship programs as well as researching new methods of visualizing data, including 3D, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Basu has a bachelor’s degree in information technology from West Bengal University of Technology in India and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Georgia. Basu and his wife Dipannita live in Little Rock with their four-year-old son Aaron.

Seven ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Students Selected for Acxiom Diversity Scholarship Program

John Hill — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 12:58:45 +0000

Seven students from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have been selected for this year’s Acxiom Diversity Scholarship program. , the customer intelligence company whose data-driven solutions create business growth by enabling better customer experiences, annually selects 10 college students for the program. The initiative offers $5,000 scholarships to full-time students from diverse backgrounds majoring in computer science, computer information systems, management information systems, information quality, information systems, engineering, mathematics, and statistics or related areas of study. “Acxiom is committed to providing an avenue for students from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams through computer science and information technology careers,” said Mary Ward, chief people officer at Acxiom. “In our increasingly global economy, building a diverse workforce leads to better innovation, culture, and outcomes for everyone.” This year’s Acxiom Diversity Scholarship recipients from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and their majors include Oluwaseyi Adeliyi, information science; Abiola Sylvester Akinnubi, information science; Dayo Banjo, computer science; Mayor Gurung, information science; John Intifunie Nsaman, business information systems and analytics; Sodiq Oyedotun, business information systems and analytics; and Connice Trimmingham, computer science. “We are very thankful to the opportunities provided to our students by the Acxiom Diversity Scholarship,” said Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, chair of the Department of Information Science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “This program not only helps to increase the diversity in the IT profession, it also helps to recruit and retain the next generation of talented, hard-working individuals who we’ll be counting on to solve critical data challenges.” Mayor Gurung, a graduate student from Kathmandu, Nepal, said she felt honored to be a recipient of the 2022 Acxiom Diversity Scholarship. “It’s an encouragement to do even better as it will finance my educational needs and fund my future research project,” Gurung said. “More importantly, it will push me as well as women in my community to dream big, we just have to take the initiative. I want to thank Acxiom for promoting diversity and making a difference.” Through this scholarship, Acxiom aims to create a more inclusive pipeline of future technology talent and help close the equity gap by providing access to education for individuals underrepresented in the field. Abiola Sylvester Akinnubi, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in computer and information science, said this experience will help him with his plans to mentor and help underprivileged and underrepresented students after he graduates. “I also believe this will motivate me to provide a leadership voice to people and help others continuously,” Akinnubi said. “As I return to the industry, I will be able to contribute using the knowledge and experience from my Ph.D. program in contributing to various technology roles that I find myself in the future. I am sure Acxiom will find me a worthy ambassador now and in the end.” With five of the Acxiom Diversity Scholarship recipients being members of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS) Research Center, Dr. Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy chair and distinguished professor of information science and the founding director of COSMOS, expressed pride for his students’ accomplishments. “I am extremely proud of our students for receiving this honor!,” Agarwal said. “The Acxiom Diversity Scholarship program provides unique opportunities for our students to become next-generation leaders in developing data-driven solutions to challenging technical and societal issues.” The Acxiom Diversity Scholarship Program, now in its 10th year, also offers summer internships to willing recipients. Scholarship winners are selected based on their ability to demonstrate academic achievement, field of study, and professional interest related to Acxiom’s business needs. “Supporting the education of the next leaders in our industry is the most direct way we can effect change and encourage diversity within the computer science and information technology fields,” said Chad Engelgau, CEO of Acxiom. “We congratulate this year’s group of exceptional scholarship recipients and look forward to their educational achievements and career contributions in the years ahead.” Sodiq Oyedotun, a native of the Kwara state in Nigeria, said news of the program couldn’t have come at a better time. “It will help me pay my tuition, buy books, and certainly, I get to intern with Acxiom and have the opportunity to hone my skills,” Oyedotun said. “This will go a long way to shape my future career.”

Graduating Student Spotlight: Billy Spann

John Hill — Fri, 13 May 2022 13:20:22 +0000

Billy Spann will graduate May 14 with a Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science and an impressive research resume from his time as a researcher with the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I grew up in the Little Rock area and went to K-12 schools here. My wife, Christy, and I have three boys, Josh, Sammy, and John. I’ve earned several advanced degrees while working full time and raising a family. I’ve been somewhat of a non-traditional student who has been fortunate enough to be able to work through each of my degrees. I’ve also been a lifelong learner, where I have always been a student of my industry and also a student of whatever discipline I have been in at that time. On April 2, 2022, I finally achieved one of the highest goals I set for myself by successfully completing my Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science. What do you do for a living? My work experience includes over 20 years in the wireless technology industry where I’ve been part of the research, design, and optimization of wireless networks. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in new technology research and planning as the industry has evolved from 3G to 4G and now 5G. I began my career at Alltel Communications, which became Verizon Wireless, and am now employed at Windstream. At Windstream, my team is complementing our next generation fiber-to-the-home buildout strategy by building high performing wireless networks to reach unserved and underserved people in rural areas that don’t have access to high-speed internet. Your educational background is impressive. Please tell us about that. I have a degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I also have two master’s degrees from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. One is in business administration (M.B.A), and the other is in computer and information science. I recently defended my doctoral dissertation and will graduate with my Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science on May 14. Why did you decide to pursue a Ph.D. at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? As I mentioned earlier, I have always enjoyed learning and part of my career path has involved the research and deployment of new technologies. I got my MBA when my career was a little more business focused and involved strategic planning and looking at merger and acquisition opportunities. As my career progressed with Verizon, I transitioned back into a more technical role and we started looking at how we could use big data solutions with AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) to perform tasks done by humans, such as network monitoring and decision making. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was local and the Computer Science department has produced some really great programs and research such as the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS). After doing some research, I knew ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s program competed with other top universities, so I knew it would be a good fit for my Ph.D. Who were some of your mentors? Dr. Nitin Agarwal is my advisor and provided major guidance for my research. He leads the COSMOS research center, which stands for Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies. I am one of the “Cosmographers” in this program. Dr. Agarwal leads our group as we develop big data analytical tools to understand online behavior such as information operations, how radical and extremist groups coordinate online, propaganda dissemination, misinformation, fake news, influence operations and other interesting projects. Our research sheds light on these types of digital and cyber behaviors. My dad also influenced me by always pushing me to do my best. Tell us about your dissertation? My research looks at how people use social media to organize and coordinate online collective action for events like protests, demonstrations or social movements. Protests, social justice movements, and other types of information operations (e.g., misinformation, disinformation campaigns) have become pretty popular the last several years due to the ease of using social media to instantly capture and broadcast perceived injustices, or to engage in political discourse. My dissertation provides a computational framework to measure the psychological and social processes that serve as catalysts for these types of events. The techniques from my work provides a new computational approach to measuring these psycho-social behaviors, and ultimately identifies features for predictive modeling of when a protest or demonstration is emerging. Understanding the root behaviors of protest participants will help policymakers develop appropriate interventions or countermeasures if needed. With all of the online deviant behavior, platform manipulation, and influence operations going on discreetly (or sometimes not so discreetly) it’s a really interesting interdisciplinary research area that bridges the social sciences with computer science, into a field known as computational social science. I’m excited to see how our computer science models can help solve some of the most pressing issues on social media. Another exciting aspect of my research is that, because it’s highly interdisciplinary, there is a lot of knowledge transfer between social networks and other information networks like wireless networks (which is my industry background), so a lot of the same advanced techniques can be used. What is your fondest memory? I was fortunate enough to work with several accomplished teams to publish 16 publications (two are forthcoming). However, getting my first primary authored paper published gave me a sense of pride. The paper shows how users in social networks tend to adopt information campaigns similar to how people adopt new technologies. For example, you have people that are early adopters of new technologies like the latest iPhone, and similarly, there are initiators and amplifiers of new social media campaigns. The stages of adoption are part of a well known theory known as the Diffusion of Innovations. My work takes inspiration from this theory, and I applied new stages of adoption for the information environment. What do you think about Elon Musk buying Twitter? I think his goal of having transparency is good since everything we do online is publicly available. He’ll likely introduce innovative ideas and be less restrictive, while making the platform more open-sourced. He’s mentioned he hopes the platform will become less polarized, which would provide for some interesting behavior analysis by our COSMOS group. It will be interesting to see what happens. How are you going to celebrate your graduation? We’ll probably keep it simple and go out for a nice dinner with the family. My middle son is also graduating high school in a few weeks, so we might have a combined celebration, but I don’t want to take away from his big accomplishment during this time too. It will be exciting for everyone! This story was compiled by Toni Boyer.

Keltch Named New Chief Information Officer at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:15:20 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has named Brian Keltch as the university’s new chief information officer, effective May 2. “I am pleased and honored to accept the position of chief information officer with a great passion for the campus, the position, and the entire Information Technology (IT) Services team,” Keltch said. “Our goals are many, including assuring our efforts in IT Services are aligned with tangible campus outcomes, increasing the visibility of IT governance on campus, fully leveraging Workday tools, driving a successful Workday Student implementation, and to continue our infrastructure upgrades, security hardening, and modernization on campus.” Keltch currently serves ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as the deputy chief information officer, director of enterprise applications and development, and as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Computer Science. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is very fortunate to be able to promote Brian to this new role of increased responsibility,” said Jerry Ganz, vice chancellor for finance and administration. “Brian knows our institution extremely well and is deeply committed to ensuring that our students, faculty, and staff have the best possible technology available to them as they navigate their daily work.” In his new role as chief information officer, Keltch is responsible for all aspects of the university’s information technology and systems. He will provide vision and leadership for developing and implementing information technology initiatives. Reporting to the vice chancellor for finance and administration, the chief information officer directs the planning and implementation of enterprise IT systems in support of the university’s mission to improve cost-effectiveness, service quality, and customer experience. “Brian brings a wealth of experience to his new role and will provide the continuity and stability that we need as we continue to transition to the new Workday ERP system,” Ganz said. “I look forward to working with Brian to ensure that Information Technology Services continues to meet the technology needs of our campus.” Prior to joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2016, Keltch worked as a program manager at Northrop Grumman in North Little Rock, where he was responsible for managing 130 staff members and the delivery of quality information technology products and services to the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Keltch holds a master’s degree in systems engineering and software engineering from Southern Methodist University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in integrated computing with a concentration in computer science from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Awarded $1.96 Million Workforce Development Grant to Support a Regional Cyber Learning Network

John Hill — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:26:38 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $1.96 million workforce development grant to fund further development of the Cyber Learning Network (CyberLearN) – a regional cyber-learning partnership with six other schools in the University of Arkansas System to address Arkansas’s talent gap in cybersecurity. The CyberLearN partners include ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, ��Vlog��ý Pine Bluff, ��Vlog��ý – Pulaski Technical College, ��Vlog��ý Cossatot, ��Vlog��ý Hope-Texarkana, ��Vlog��ýCC Batesville, and ��Vlog��ýCC Morrilton. The Forge Institute, the Arkansas Center for Data Sciences, and SmartResume are also collaborating on the initiative. Gov. Asa Hutchinson awarded a total of $7.9 million in Large-Scale Workforce Development Grants to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and eight other organizations during a March 15 press conference at the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce. The grants were funded by the , a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. “We don’t have an unlimited source of funds in Arkansas for workforce training, so we want to invest it wisely,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “And you do that by partnering with industry to guide our training, our funding, so that it results in jobs.” CyberLearN leverages shared resources for the purposes of expanding and diversifying cyber workforce education in Arkansas. The consortium will provide more equitable access to cybersecurity education for Arkansas learners, aligning freshman and sophomore cybersecurity curriculum with ABET, a national accreditation board, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Standards. CyberLearN partners will share instruction and create a common learning experience through standardized, hybrid-flexible learning spaces that will utilize the cloud-based . “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is proud to lead in creating the Cyber Learning Network, which will put Arkansas on the map for cybersecurity workforce education,” said Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “This new consortium among academic and nonprofit partners will serve as a model to provide collaborative education and training opportunities across the state. We thank Gov. Hutchinson and the Office of Skills Development for this investment in Arkansas’s economic security and for providing our state with cyber talent for many years to come.” CyberLearN will drive economic development opportunities by providing robust talent pathways and creating opportunities to spur creative innovations. Arkansas currently has more than 3,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions listed on LinkedIn, and that number is expected to continue to grow. Now that Arkansas’s broadband initiatives have provided more internet access across the state, there are more opportunities for cybersecurity professionals to work remotely, which can provide a boost for rural communities. The workforce development grant builds on the commitment and spirit of last year’s ��Vlog��ý System announcement of a $900,000 CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to boost the state’s statewide workforce recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19 growth through the creation of the ��Vlog��ý System Workforce Response and Training Center. That grant included nine ��Vlog��ý System institutions, led by the Arkansas Economic Development Institute (AEDI) at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, to collect and analyze statewide workforce data and use outcomes to provide existing and bolstered education and training efforts through all seven of the ��Vlog��ý System’s two-year colleges, along with two colleges of technology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (��Vlog��ýM). “This is a shining example of the synergy that’s possible by harnessing ��Vlog��ý System resources in a collaborative and innovative fashion to continue bolstering the growth of a world-class, highly skilled workforce in Arkansas,” said Chris Thomason, vice president for planning and development for the ��Vlog��ý System. “When we’re able to pool the resources and talent within the ��Vlog��ý System close to Arkansas citizens and in our communities, the momentum that’s created can have a much larger impact on the state’s economic growth and within Arkansas families.” In order to support this economic and workforce development potential, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and its academic partners are providing stackable certificates, which are a set of professional credentials that can be stacked into more advanced certificate and degree programs or may be earned by Arkansas workers wishing to upskill or reskill. Stackable certificates are an innovative way for institutions of higher education to serve working students by providing them with distinct skill sets and manageable motivators on their way to a two-year or four-year degree. “COVID has changed a lot of how we operate in higher education, and this program shows a positive adaptation in meeting the needs of today’s learners,” said Dr. Philip Huff, assistant professor of cybersecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “The workforce needed in cybersecurity is so great right now, and we can’t simply tell the industry to wait four more years for us to provide you with a pipeline of talent when they need it yesterday. These stackable certificates address the immediate need, and also open up new academic paths if a student chooses to continue their education.” The certificate programs, the first of which is pending approval for the Fall 2022 semester, include two certificates of proficiency in cybersecurity fundamentals that “stack” into a technical certificate and associate degree. By completing these foundational certificates, learners will be ready to enroll in upper-level specialized certificates in areas like data security, digital forensics, cybersecurity operations, and software security. These certificates are designed to provide college students and workers with a road to lifelong learning with personalized pathways to learn skills that meet both learner and employer needs. “Higher education should seize every viable opportunity to increase efficiency in the delivery of educational services contributing to workforce education. CyberLearN is exactly this kind of opportunity,” Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “It has been, and continues to be, energizing to collaborate on this opportunity to build efficiencies in the development of the Arkansas workforce in the emerging and evermore critically important cybersecurity industry.” While ��Vlog��ý System campuses will provide space and construction and renovation costs for the training operation centers, the grant will provide computer equipment and supplies, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Arena cloud access for all students, curriculum and instructional design, and tuition and fees for 100 new learners. An additional eight more scholarships will go to instructors from two-year colleges to earn ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s new graduate certificate in cybersecurity education in an effort to expand the cybersecurity teacher workforce in the state. Dr. Steve Cole, chancellor of ��Vlog��ý Cossatot, said one of his biggest worries is how to combat the cyber-attacks that are happening all around the world. This new partnership with CyberLearN will bring education and training opportunities directly to ��Vlog��ý Cossatot and other two-year colleges across the state. Having a skilled workforce that can respond to cyber threats will ensure a resilient economy in Arkansas. “Cybercrime just doesn’t touch large corporations, it even touches the small business owner with one employee,” Cole said. “To combat cybercrime, we must build a workforce of cybersecurity experts, and CyberLearN seeks to address this huge skills gap. Community colleges like ours find it extremely difficult sometimes to start new, technology-rich programs due to the high costs involved and the lack of available instruction, but a collaborative effort like CyberLearN allows us to tap into the talent at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Forge Institute to offer cybersecurity programming in our rural area. I am confident that, without this effort it would be difficult to offer a world-class program like this to many rural parts of the state like ours.”

Arkansas Teachers Learning to Educate Students in Cybersecurity from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and ADE

John Hill — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 17:08:12 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, along with Arkansas Tech University (ATU), has been selected as a co-host for the 2022 Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Educator Academy (CSCEA). The program, which is overseen by the , will provide free tuition for up to 60 Arkansas educators to complete a graduate certificate in cybersecurity education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as well as advanced computer science training from the ADE. A grant in excess of $800,000 from the ADE will provide tuition and fees for teachers to take 18 graduate-level hours in computer science and cybersecurity. Participants must be Arkansas residents who are employed by an Arkansas public school district or intend to teach within an Arkansas public school district. “We are excited that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has joined Arkansas Tech University as a partner for the 2022 Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Educator Academy,” said Anthony Owen, state director of computer science education for the Arkansas Department of Education. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s cybersecurity track adds a greatly needed focus area. We are eager to work with the educators engaging in this opportunity as they take this knowledge back to their schools, communities, and students to develop the cyber literate workforce required for today’s constantly connected world.” The CSCEA provides Arkansas residents with a starting point for new teachers to be successful by learning basic computer science; receive preparation for passing the Computer Science Content Knowledge Praxis exam; gain approval to teach high school computer science courses; earn up to 18 graduate-level credits in cybersecurity; and expand skills in specialized areas. The CSCEA expands the number of Arkansas high school teachers who can receive support for graduate-level coursework in teaching cybersecurity. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be one of the first universities in the country to offer a graduate certificate in cybersecurity education through the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy, a collaboration of 10 institutions in nine states. It is funded by a $750,000 grant from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, located within the National Security Agency (NSA). ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate certificate is pending approval by the ��Vlog��ý Board of Trustees, the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Higher Learning Commission approvals. “The National Cyber Teaching Academy is the first of its kind in the nation,” said Sandra Leiterman, managing director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Arena and co-principal investigator on the grant. “The state of Arkansas is providing an incredible opportunity for its teachers to earn graduate education in computer science and cybersecurity. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s graduate certificate will provide teachers with the content knowledge they need to teach dedicated cybersecurity courses in high school, as well as courses for high school concurrent credit. This education will help teachers prepare so many of our high school students for future careers in the in-demand field of cybersecurity.” The ADE Office of Computer Science will provide 90 hours of training for participants. This consists of 60 hours of content for candidates who haven’t passed the Computer Science Content Knowledge Praxis exam and 30 hours of advanced training that varies based on the participant’s interests and needs. Participants who complete the initial 90 hours of training will be awarded six hours of graduate-level computer science credit and are eligible to have tuition and fees covered for 12 additional graduate hours at their selected public university partner. “This initiative demonstrates ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s commitment to partnering with ADE and other state leaders in education and the cyber industry to create a coordinated ecosystem of cybersecurity career and educational pathways for P-20 (pre-K through graduate school) learners,” said Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “As we work with educational providers, government agencies, non-profits, and industry to grow Arkansas’s knowledge economy, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will implement this model in other high-demand, high-paying fields as we work with partners in education, government, non-profits, and industry to grow Arkansas’s knowledge economy.” Educators who attend ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in this program will become part of the National Cyber Teaching Academy, the first NSA graduate certificate program for high school cybersecurity educators in the country. Graduates will receive a graduate certificate that will allow them to teach high school concurrent credit courses for cybersecurity and computer science in Arkansas and beyond. “This grant will put Arkansas at the top in the nation for the percentage of high school students choosing a cybersecurity profession,” said Dr. Philip Huff, assistant professor of cybersecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “We have the potential to develop a network of over 60 schools in Arkansas that can offer an advanced course in cybersecurity for college credit. It’s another example of Arkansas becoming a national trendsetter in computer science education.” Educators who choose this track will begin classes at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock either in the summer or fall, depending on their schedule, and will complete the graduate certificate by December 2023. Courses will include Teaching Cybersecurity, Foundations in Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Operations, and Cybersecurity Practicum. Members of the Arkansas Cyber Teaching Academy will also have access to a network of more than 100 high school cybersecurity teachers nationwide, receive practicum experience in a real cybersecurity operations environment, and have access to the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Arena and its library of hands-on attack and defense scenarios tailed to the curriculum. “Both the breadth and depth of the cybersecurity initiatives that Dr. Huff and Ms. Leiterman are leading for the Department of Computer Science establish ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a national leader in cyber defense,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Along with outstanding and well-funded research, they are developing programs to serve ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Arkansas K-12 students, Arkansas teachers, the Arkansas workforce, and the economic development of the state.” Any teachers who would like to apply for the 2022 Arkansas Computer Science and Computing Educator . The ADE Office of Computer Science will host an informational webinar with representatives from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and ATU for interested participants from 3-5 p.m. Feb. 24. Those interested may register for the event .

��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Forge Institute, and ��Vlog��ýPB Announce Creation of Consortium for Cyber Innovation

John Hill — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:04:49 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has partnered with the Forge Institute and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to establish the Consortium for Cyber Innovation (CCI) to meet the country’s growing need for skilled cybersecurity professionals. The consortium will develop and align cyber education and grow applied research capabilities throughout the state. The consortium partners will collaborate on workforce development, research, and innovation to create a strategic industry cluster in emerging technologies that will support national defense and enhance Arkansas as a Cyber Defense State and cybersecurity hub. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is proud to join the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the Forge Institute in an effort to scale and leverage resources towards workforce development, research, and innovation in cyber technologies,” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale said. “Together, we are building the future of our state as we pursue the common goal of ensuring national security through strategic and collaborative workforce development, research, and innovation.” The Forge Institute develops capabilities to solve broad challenges in emerging technology, cybersecurity, and national security. Its experienced cyber operators and leadership team are leveraging their extensive national network to promote workforce training and research collaborations by joining forces with the academic resources at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and ��Vlog��ýPB. “The Consortium for Cyber Innovation is monumental to developing our high-tech workforce and developing new capabilities to prevent, detect, and mitigate emerging technology risks to businesses, including our nation’s critical infrastructure,” said Lee Watson, CEO of the Forge Institute. “Both campuses already have outstanding undergraduate and graduate computer science programs, cybersecurity resources, and world-class faculty. We’re excited to lend our expertise to this very important endeavor which will help fill the coming 3.4 million job gap.” Cybercrime is a growing threat that is expected to cost the world more than $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, according to Watson. This increase in cyberattacks is expected to open 3.4 cybersecurity positions in the next few years. There are already 1,400 open positions in Arkansas, and more than 467,000 open positions in cybersecurity in the U.S., Watson said. This collaboration expands an existing successful collaboration between ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Forge Institute. Students who complete the Forge Institute’s IT/Cyber Fundamentals professional development course can apply to receive three credit hours in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s recently launched bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity. This recognition of learning outside of higher education is a bold step towards how colleges and universities can modernize their curricula to meet the needs of today’s students and industry. “We’re extremely excited to build this collaboration with Forge Institute,” said Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “We view cybersecurity as an important field of study for our students, and the expertise Forge Institute lends offers a real-world perspective that can’t be simulated in the classroom.” The CCI builds on existing partnerships among the Forge Institute, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (U of A) that have already resulted in National Security Agency (NSA)-funded academic training and research programs. This includes the GenCyber summer camp for 7-12 graders, the Healthcare Cybersecurity Certification research project, and a new graduate certificate in cybersecurity education. Congressman French Hill said the creation of the CCI is a giant step in making Arkansas more competitive in cyber innovation, and that he is looking forward to following the consortium’s continued growth and success.

Dr. Al Baker, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock computer science chair, discusses a collaboration with ��Vlog��ýPB and the Forge Institute to establish the Consortium for Cyber Innovation with the purpose of developing and aligning cyber education and growing applied research capabilities in the state. Photo by Ben Krain.

“The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff have taken steps to create a nurturing environment to promote computer science and cyber innovation,” Congressman Hill said. “This collaboration will take their commitment one step further.” Future research projects will include developing next-generation artificial intelligence capabilities to manage cybersecurity threats to both critical infrastructure and military and national defense networks. Advanced machine learning technologies will increase efficiency and expand near-term industry use of readily-available quantum computing capabilities. The CCI also plans to create a Strategic Initiative Office that will allow the consortium to obtain and manage large-scale federal funding for creating a sustainable network of education and research efforts in emerging technology and national defense. “As our state’s land grant, Historically Black University, ��Vlog��ýPB looks to contribute to the CCI’s strategic initiatives in a number of ways,” ��Vlog��ýPB Chancellor Laurence Alexander said. “Our expectation is that our university’s priorities of expanding computer education and the cyber workforce will lead to a more diverse industry workforce, reaching many of our underrepresented population. As such, the consortium will help build regional capacity to support economic growth and development across various industry sectors as the state recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Industry partners who join the CCI can help in a number of ways, Watson said. They can hire new talent, especially Arkansas graduates, mentor students, bring in interns, help fund student research, and advise educators who are developing classes. David McCoy, principal security analyst, incident response commander, and head of forensics and investigation at Acxiom, a data management, data science, and privacy technology company, represented Acxiom as a founding industry partner. “I’m extremely honored to represent Acxiom in this effort to join these different entities together,” McCoy said. “The industry has been growing, to say the least, and to the point where you need formal tracks to get into what I do. We are getting into more formal education programs, which is going to be amazing, not only to the state of Arkansas but to the United States. Acxiom is super excited to join into this collaboration across industry’s public and private sectors sharing information, which is something we all need to do because the threats are real.” Globally, cybersecurity has become a trillion dollar industry with career opportunities open to thousands of Arkansans. Because of the state’s deep experience with data management, logistics, fintech, and other data-driven industries, Arkansas is well positioned to become a rallying point for the nation’s cybersecurity efforts. These opportunities produce good paying jobs for Arkansans. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is committed to growing a talented workforce of highly skilled cyber professionals in Central Arkansas,” Drale said. “Directly related to that effort is the applied research of our nationally recognized faculty in cybersecurity, including research on social media threats by our Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies. This collaboration sets the stage for additional partnerships and initiatives, and that will establish Arkansas as a national leader in cybersecurity and related emerging technologies.”

Profiles in Cybersecurity: Zachary Long

John Hill — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:53:10 +0000

To celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling students studying cybersecurity. Meet Zachary Long, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in computer science. What made you decide to pursue cybersecurity? I had a fascination with computers growing up and computer security is something that was always fun and interesting to learn about, from finding hidden information with forensics to learning about how hacking works and how to stop it. Why do you think cybersecurity is more important now than ever before? In the past decade we’ve seen technologies like smart home appliances and even vehicles being connected with and using more personal data. Data like the smart home locks on a home, the cameras used for babysitting, or just monitoring the door can and have been hijacked due to unsecure practices. Being aware of all this data and trying to become more secure is necessary with just how much interconnected technology we use on a daily basis. What do you plan to do after graduation? I am hoping to continue my cybersecurity work in a government organization, ideally the FBI or NSA. What opportunities have you gotten through ��Vlog��ý Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? I’ve actually gotten the opportunity to meet multiple people from both of these groups. Additionally, between the Cybersecurity Club on campus, the various security classes, and now the program here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I had many opportunities to learn new skills and practice them in the Cyber Arena and at competitions with the Cybersecurity Club. What advice would you give the average person on how to keep their information secure? Just be aware of the information you put out. That may be what you post on your social media or it may be giving out account information to a less than reputable company.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Cybersecurity Club Highlighted in Celebration of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

John Hill — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:26:58 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Cybersecurity Club was established in 2014. Although it was originally founded so members could compete in an annual competition called the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC), it has become a club that prides itself on community and friendship since its founding. The club is currently working on a new project called the Cyber Arena, where members develop a cybersecurity environment that teaches practical application in a “gamified” manner. According to Ryan Ronquillo, club president, it is geared towards both high school and college students. The club competed in two competitions this month, Hivestorm and Jolt. According to Connor Young, competing in events such as these are important to the club because they give new members a goal to work towards. Hivestorm is a collegiate cyber defense competition that focuses on defense strategies like security and system administration tasks, and Jolt is a local “capture the flag”-style cyber competition where participants break in or decrypt a computer system in order to find the hidden code.

Connor Young

Young is a graduate student studying computer and information sciences. He was an original member of the Cybersecurity Club in 2014, where he served as both the youngest member and founding secretary. Young credits the club for a “much broader understanding of computer science.” His experience with the club has also helped him realize his talent at introducing people to the discipline. He hopes to find a job teaching computer science after he graduates. Although he’ll be qualified to teach at a collegiate level, he says he’s considering teaching high school instead to begin introducing students to computer science and cybersecurity at a younger age. Ronquillo has been a member of the club since 2018 and is now president of the organization. Like Young, Ronquillo is also considering teaching STEM education after he completes his master’s degree in information science. Ronquillo has volunteered for the cybersecurity club at Catholic High School for Boys for several years, and many high schoolers have developed a love for computer science and declared majors in their field because of Ronquillo’s influence on their lives.

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����Vlog��ý Little Rock, Forge Institute, and ����Vlog��ýPB Announce Creation of Consortium for Cyber Innovation