Purdue University Northwest’s College of Technology has been awarded over $3 million through two U.S. Department of Defense grants.
The funding will supplement the college’s initiatives to advance education and workforce development in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity, a research center administered by the College of Technology, will use the funding to support its AI-cybersecurity workforce certification training online programs. The programs facilitate opportunities for transitioning military, first responders, government employees and other adult trainees to earn core cybersecurity skills.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this grant award so that we can continue providing significant workforce development opportunities for various transitioning professionals and support them in filling the gaps for the nation’s AI and cybersecurity workforce,” said Michael Tu, Center for Cybersecurity director, in a press release.
PNW’s share of $3 million is a subaward of $9.6 million granted to the University of West Florida’s Center for Cybersecurity, one of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity’s academic partners, through the federal National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program.
The PNW College of Technology’s department of Computer Information Technology and Graphics also received $375,000 in renewed funding for the Cyber Service Academy scholarship, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Defense. The scholarship program benefits junior and senior undergraduate students and graduate students pursuing eligible degrees in cybersecurity and information technology with coverage of students’ tuition, books, fees and room and board.
Students who earn the scholarship are required to participate in experiential learning internships with a sponsoring federal agency. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients are guaranteed professional roles with a federal agency.
“This is a prestigious scholarship through a premiere program that supports a pipeline for PNW students to transition into important roles within the Department of Defense’s infrastructure,” George Stefanek, Computer Information Technology professor, said.
PNW is eligible for these two federal funding awards due to its designation as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. Through the designation, PNW students can compete for scholarships, conduct research on real-world issues and participate in nationwide cybersecurity competitions.
