Six university-based electric power cybersecurity centers have been awarded $15 million in funding to support energy security research and cybersecurity education programs, as announced by the U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday.
“This investment in university-based cybersecurity centers will help us expand the U.S. cyber workforce and develop the necessary expertise to combat the ever-evolving cyber threats to our nation’s energy systems,” stated Puesh M. Kumar, director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response, in a press release. “The U.S. has always relied on cutting-edge research and a skilled workforce to maintain its competitive advantage. Through these initiatives, we are enhancing our economic and national security.”
These university programs will collaborate with energy sector stakeholders, vendors, and the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories. The aim of these partnerships is to assist the cybersecurity centers in analyzing the cybersecurity capabilities of each region’s electricity system, network infrastructure, and workforce.
The six universities chosen to receive the funding are The University of Connecticut, Iowa State University, the University of Pittsburgh, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Texas Tech University, and Florida International University.
Written by Skylar Rispens
Skylar Rispens is a reporter for StateScoop and EdScoop. She previously worked as a reporter specializing in education coverage for daily and weekly newspapers across Montana, where she currently resides.