For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey, 901/678-2843

In the battle to combat hackers, viruses, and other security issues, the University of Memphis finds itself at the center of the national effort to secure cyberspace. The U of M’s Center for Information Assurance (CfIA) has been designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research (CAE-R) for the academic years 2010-2015.

CfIA initially was designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education in 2006, becoming the first university in Tennessee to receive the honor. This year it received an additional designation for research. Forty other universities in the nation have been awarded the CAE-R designation.  The U of M is still the only Tennessee institution with that designation.

A ceremony recognizing CfIA’s achievement will be held in conjunction with the annual conference of the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education on June 8 in Baltimore.

Directed by Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta, professor of computer science, and Dr. Judith Simon, professor of management information systems, the Center develops educational tools, programs, and training for use throughout the Mid-South. By regularly offering information assurance courses and hosting workshops for students and professionals, including police officers and other law enforcement officials, CfIA works to create a future of secure online commerce and a safe computing environment.

In addition to its educational efforts, the Center has been involved in cutting-edge research on cyber security. Faculty associated with the Center are actively involved in information assurance-related research areas, including sensor networks, router security, security visualization, game theory, intelligent security systems, risk management, cyber ethics, and software testing. In addition, faculty in disciplines across the University are involved in information assurance research activities, including those in education, earth sciences, accounting, psychology, and health administration and management.

Dasgupta, founder of the Center’s Intelligent Security Systems Research Lab, studies bio-inspired systems and applies various soft computing techniques to solve computer security problems.

More information is available by phone from Dasgupta at 901-678-4147 or Simon at 901-678-4613, or online at http://cfia.memphis.edu