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

��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.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Partners with Forge Institute to Grow Skilled Cybersecurity Workforce

John Hill — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:11:10 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Forge Institute have partnered to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce development in Arkansas by providing academic credit for those who complete professional development courses in cybersecurity at the Forge Institute. Under the terms of the recently signed collaboration agreement, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will award successful graduates of the Forge Institute’s IT/Cybersecurity Fundamentals certificate academic credit towards a bachelor’s degree in computer science or cybersecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “This is truly an exciting and innovative opportunity for the IT workforce in Arkansas,” said Dr. Al Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I thank Forge Institute for providing invaluable advice as we have built our programs and curricula in cybersecurity in the Department of Computer Science. The partnership is strong and growing.” Each institution has thoroughly reviewed the curriculum and mapped academic requirements to corresponding aspects of Forge Institute’s professional development program.�� The first Forge Institute course that is eligible for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock course credit is IT/Cyber Fundamentals. Those participants who successfully complete the Forge Institute course can receive three hours of academic credit for CSEC 1310, Intro to Cybersecurity, which is a required course for the bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. “We are excited to further expand our partnership with Professor Philip Huff, Dr. Al Baker, Dr. Erin Finzer, and the team at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” said Lee Watson, chairman and CEO of Forge Institute. “This rather unique relationship will further cement Arkansas as a leader in cybersecurity and help provide the skilled talent pipeline required by the private and public sector employers.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is designated an academic center of excellence by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “This is an exciting collaboration for us as we begin a new Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree in the fall,” said Philip Huff, professor of cybersecurity in the Department of Computer Science. “The overwhelming demand for cybersecurity professionals requires us to reimagine how we in higher education design our programs. This partnership between ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Forge Institute creates a two-way path between cybersecurity professionals and our cybersecurity degree program programs. We are working together to prepare students for an exciting and challenging profession.” For more information, visit . In the upper right photo, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock visitors tour the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Gym, which opened in December 2019. Photo by Ben Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock partners with Forge Institute, U of A to Advance Applied Research In Cybersecurity to Support National Defense

John Hill — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:51:43 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is partnering with the and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, to advance applied research in areas that support national defense, including cybersecurity. This partnership is a first-of-its-kind opportunity in Arkansas and will lead to competitive research, collaboration opportunities, and create a platform for economic growth and job creation. The partnership will focus on next-generation cybersecurity defensive capabilities for industrial control systems (ICS/SCADA) to further the protection of the nation’s critical infrastructure. Initial university collaborators will be Philip Huff, assistant professor of cybersecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and Dr. Chris Farnell, managing director of the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT) testbed at U of A. “The Emerging Analytics Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been working with the Forge Institute for over a year,” Huff said. “We are pleased to extend this collaborative effort to work on some of the nation’s most challenging cybersecurity artificial intelligence problems. This collaboration will enable access to applied research opportunities for Arkansas students and research faculty.” The joint team will leverage the capabilities of the , the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT) testbed at U of A, and the professional and experienced team and capabilities of the Forge Institute. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and U of A are designated as academic centers of excellence by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The U of A is also a U.S. Department of Energy center of academic excellence. This collaboration brings together the best resources, research, and capabilities of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and U of A, along with the unique capabilities and relationships of the Forge Institute. Forge Institute will collaborate with key researchers to enable access to unique research opportunities in support of the nation’s national defense. “We are excited to partner with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and ��Vlog��ý Fayetteville to develop innovative solutions that will help address our nation’s complex and growing cyber and national security challenges,” said Lee Watson, chairman and CEO of Forge Institute. “By connecting to and building upon the existing cyber and defense sector in the State, we are establishing a foundation to drive innovation that will directly lead to high-paying jobs for Arkansans. I’m excited about this collaboration and how it will better position our state and country to defend against advanced cyber adversaries and grow the State’s economy.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock joins coalition to launch health care cybersecurity curriculum and pilot focused on veterans and first responders

John Hill — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 19:53:57 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is part of a coalition of universities and industry partners that are developing a curriculum to increase cybersecurity talent focused on health care with $6.3 million in funding from the National Security Agency.�� Vlog��ý Little Rock will work with the University of Louisville, the University of North Florida, Bluegrass Technical and Owensboro Technical, the , and a coalition of industry partners to develop a training curriculum focused on health care cybersecurity. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive $640,000 for the three-year grant. “As health care data generation becomes increasingly complex, it is absolutely critical that patient health information be secure and protected. Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies enable new methods of data protection,” said Dr. Mariofanna Milanova, professor of computer science and principal investigator on the grant for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The pilot phase of the health care cybersecurity workforce certificate initially will provide free�� training for 200 first responders and military veterans. The certificate incorporates technology industry badging from Microsoft, IBM, and Google as well as hands-on applied learning and gamification components. Participants will learn how to protect information systems used by patients, providers, and payers in the health care industry.

Lee Watson, CEO of Forge Institute

��Vlog��ý Little Rock will work with the Forge Institute, a nonprofit organization that specializes in developing private-public partnerships that advance cyber operational objectives. The Forge Institute will help test the cybersecurity curriculum through its existing cybersecurity boot camp, where participants are trained to become cybersecurity analysts. “Our team is proud of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock for being selected to participate in this research consortium led by the University of Louisville,” said Lee Watson, CEO of Forge Institute. “The team at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a deep bench of capability in researching and developing new tools and models for education delivery. This collaboration between the Forge Institute and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will allow us to develop, better tailor, and test cybersecurity curriculum for the veteran and first responder communities.” Program participants will complete the three-level certificate program in six months through online courses led by instructors from coalition institutions, gaining expertise in artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, internet of things (IoT), machine learning. and other areas.

Philip Huff

The curriculum will employ innovative training tools including gamification and make use of anonymous datasets and use cases provided by industry partners. Once developed, the curriculum will be available to other institutions free of charge for one year. The first cohort of 30-40 students is expected to be enrolled in spring 2021.�� Each of the schools in the coalition is a NSA-designated and contributes interests, experience, and skills aligned with health care cybersecurity systems. Researchers at the , an education and simulation model laboratory for cybersecurity learning, will develop next-generation tools for delivering and assessing the cybersecurity curriculum. This will provide an exciting research opportunity for students who are entering the new bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity that will begin in the fall 2021 semester. “I’m excited to work on this research project with the NSA. As a 15+ year veteran in cybersecurity, I have seen first-hand the challenges of developing a qualified workforce,” said Philip Huff, assistant professor of computer science and cybersecurity at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Cybersecurity is a complex field, because the tools, tactics, and techniques criminals use are ever evolving. To help address this concern, we will be developing training on cutting-edge technologies to help grow a more competitive cybersecurity workforce.” The upper right photo shows Dr. Mariofanna Milanova. Photo by Ben Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock to offer new bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

John Hill — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 16:02:20 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is introducing a new four-year degree program in cybersecurity in the fall 2021 semester to help meet the rising demand for cybersecurity professionals.�� The Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity will prepare students for challenging and rewarding careers dedicated to protecting the privacy of individuals, the security of society’s infrastructure, and national security. Graduates will be prepared for positions in high-demand fields, including security architect, digital forensics analyst, security systems administrator, and security analyst. “The Department of Computer Science has been actively involved in research and teaching in cybersecurity and information assurance for about 10 years,” said Dr. Albert Baker, interim chair of the Department of Computer Science. “The addition of a B.S. in cybersecurity is an exciting evolution of the department’s commitment to this aspect of national security. We are coordinating with the Arkansas Department of Education, representatives from Arkansas military contingents, and area industry leaders in the development of this program. Graduates of this program will be protecting all aspects of our digital lives.” The new degree program will attract more government and industry jobs to the region, while helping to fill a growing need for more trained cybersecurity professionals. The estimates that there will be 1.8 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2022. “Cybersecurity is a part of the daily lives of corporations, governments, and, now with many working from home, a part of our home lives,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. “Our outstanding faculty are able to provide cutting edge classes and equip the cybersecurity professionals of the future. I look forward to the first graduates of this program.” With the recent rise of people working at home as well as the rise in unemployment across the country, cybersecurity is more important than ever to protect online security as well as a great option for adults looking to learn new skills in a growing field. “The studies show an expected deficit of millions of jobs in cybersecurity around the world,” said Philip Huff, assistant professor of computer science and coordinator of the cybersecurity program. “The regional need for cybersecurity professionals is strong, and it’s not something that can be easily outsourced. The workforce needs far exceed the capacity of universities to prepare enough graduates to fill the need for cybersecurity jobs. Every university is and should be looking at how to prepare students to be competitive in the cybersecurity arena.” Students will also have the opportunity to work in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Gym, a state-of-the-art, cloud-based lab that provides a scalable, accessible, and almost no-cost cybersecurity curriculum for high school students in Arkansas.

Philip Huff, left, and Sandra Leiterman, right, head the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cyber Gym. Photo by Ben Krain.

“Philip Huff and the cyber team at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock have been great to work with,” said Lee Watson, CEO and founder of the Forge Institute as well as a member of the state’s Computer Science and Cybersecurity Task Force. “The Cyber Gym is a next-generation academic training program that will help prepare Arkansas students for much needed, high-paying jobs in cybersecurity.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has partnered with the Forge Institute to create workforce development and research opportunities as well as to provide internship opportunities for college students. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock and The American Cyber Alliance powered by Forge Institute are building some best practices that can be replicated across Arkansas, our region, and nation,” Watson said. “Collaboration in operational research is opening doors for a variety of opportunities. These efforts in training and operations will help better position our companies and our State to defend against growing adversarial threats.” The new degree also builds upon Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s emphasis on computer science in K-12 education. Students who had the opportunity to take computer science classes for years are now entering college and eager to continue their studies in a challenging and engaging curriculum. “Undergraduate students being able to do research on computer science and computing technologies, such as with Phillip Huff at the Cyber Gym and their Cybersecurity Program, is really something that should promote institutions like ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and their programs above those that are not doing research, that are not engaging in those activities that give their students a meaningful reason for the work they’re doing,” said Anthony Owen, state director of computer science at the Arkansas Department of Education. “It’s really the difference between the theoretical approach to computer science education that I received versus a hands-on and applicable approach to teaching computer science and its important concepts.”

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

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

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Partners with Forge Institute to Grow Skilled Cybersecurity Workforce

����Vlog��ý Little Rock partners with Forge Institute, U of A to Advance Applied Research In Cybersecurity to Support National Defense