CSC News

NC State Re-Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research

In 2008 NC State University was selected by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as one of the first 23 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research (CAE-R). NC State, one of only two universities from the state of North Carolina to receive the CAE-R distinction, recently had the designation renewed, and will hold this distinction until 2024.

The CAE-R program recognizes schools that foster an Information Assurance (IA) research focus in curriculum and labs. It establishes a process that will present opportunities for IA research centers to drill deeper into solutions to securing the global information grid and also provide NSA, DHS and other federal agencies insight into the academic IA programs that can support advanced academic research and development. These agencies recognize the need for robust IA technology, policy, and practices in order to enable the nation to prevent or respond to a catastrophic event.

CAE-R universities are eligible for scholarships and grants through both the Federal and Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Programs. The designation can lead to many opportunities for advanced research in the field, and it is a testament to the outstanding IA research already being conducted at NC State, and in particular, within the Department of Computer Science.

Presentations were made to the some of the designated centers in April during an awards ceremony at the 2019 CAE Executive Leadership Forum in Pensacola, Florida.  Dr. Douglas Reeves, Associate Dean of Graduate and International Programs in the College of Engineering and Professor of Computer Science, is pictured at right accepting the official CAE designation certificate from representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency.

Dr. William Enck, Associate Professor of Computer Science, serves as the NC State CAE point of contact.  For more information on NC State's Center of Academic Excellence Research, click here.

~coates~