Center for Information Assurance Leads $1.5M Cyber AI Education Initative

Posted on 2026-09-08

The Center for Information Assurance will lead a $1.5 million project funded by the National Security Agency's National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program.

Through the Regions Investing in the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Initiative, the University has formed a consortium with the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Old Dominion University to develop a hands-on Cyber AI education and training program for high school students interested in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

The project will create curriculum, instructional resources, and experiential learning activities that can be shared across participating institutions and partner schools.  Prof. Deepak Venugopal will serve as principal investigator and lead the project alongside co-principal investigators Profs. Dipankar Dasgupta, Myoungyyu Won, Abde Mtibaa (UMSL), and Mohammad Ghasemigol (Old Dominion University).  Prof. Leigh Harrell-Williams (CEPR, UofM) will serve as project consultant.