UTSA selected as member of newly launched USCYBERCOM Academic Engagement Network

JANUARY 24, 2022 — The National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been selected to join the United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) Academic Engagement Network (AEN) beginning in January 2022.

UTSA is one of 84 colleges and universities from 34 states that have been selected to partner across the Command’s entire organization. The USCYBERCOM AEN consists of 69 other universities and 14 community colleges, of which nine are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The network includes USCYBERCOM Headquarters, Joint Force HQ-DODIN, the Cyber National Mission Force, Air Force Cyber Command/16th Air Force, Army Cyber Command/ 2nd Army, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, and the U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command.

“We look forward to expanding our partnership and collaboration with the United States Cyber Command and especially, locally, with the 16th Air Force, with whom UTSA has built a long-established working relationship. Partnership with the U.S. Cyber Command creates new opportunities for UTSA students to work alongside DoD operators, developers and researchers on matters of national security, using their cyber skills to address global issues in real-time,” said Brigadier General (Ret.) Guy Walsh, executive director of the National Security Collaboration Center.

“With a shared commitment to high-quality research, our federal partners give our students unique opportunities to develop skills not easily available.”

Created by the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2009, USCYBERCOM is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), focused on cyberspace operations and capabilities, cyber expertise and cyberwarfare. 

The overarching goals of the AEN include engaging the future workforce, increasing cyber applied research and innovation, expanding cyber focus analytic partnerships, and enriching strategic dialogue between organizations.

USCYBERCOM’s intent in the first year is to extend partnership opportunities to all 84 institutions through collaboration and access to the cyber enterprise via scheduled monthly events and engagements with the staff and their Commands, to gain unique insights from the partnering institutions, and to cross-share faculty and student research in key areas of focus.   

In support of this new network, David Frederick, executive director of USCYBERCOM, and Colonel Scott Nelson, director of academic engagement, hosted a virtual welcome event, describing their plans for the upcoming year such as an AEN virtual engagement in February 2022 with General Paul Nakasone, Commanding General of USCYBERCOM. In addition to the monthly virtual engagements, there are plans for an applied research showcase, sponsored capstone mentorships, support of individual lecture requests and USCYBERCOM enterprise-wide internship, fellowship and recruiting programs.

Opportunities for UTSA student and faculty participation will be announced as they become available via the NSCCand Research sites. Faculty interested in participating in the AEN should contact the NSCC directly.

The NSCC will soon be co-located with the UTSA School of Data Science, a new world-class $90 million research and education center and the first new building in a series slated as part of the UTSA Downtown Campus expansion. The university is on schedule to complete construction this fall and to fully welcome students, faculty and the community to the building by January 2023. The facility will feature 72,000 square feet of innovation space, laboratories and research facilities, serving as a hub for government, university and industry in support of national security and bolstering the city’s national standing as Cyber City USA.

“With a shared commitment to high-quality research, our federal partners give our students unique opportunities to develop skills not easily available, increasing not only our knowledge base but developing a nationally, even internationally, competitive cyber workforce,” said Dr. Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA vice president for Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise.

UTSA is the nation’s only Hispanic Serving Institution with three National Center of Excellence designations from the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

— Sarah Hada