Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Thursday announced a $1 million grant to establish a cybersecurity research and education center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
UA Little Rock said it will use the funds to start the Cyberspace Operations Research and Education (CORE) Center, which will enhance research opportunities and support the development of Arkansas’ cybersecurity workforce. The university plans to renovate a space of more than 5,000 SF in the Engineering and Information Technology Building that will house the CORE Center.
Additionally, the funding will pay for the salary of an operations coordinator and a finance director for two years.
Adding those two positions will allow UA Little Rock to secure new grants, onboard new students and provide valuable service-learning experiences through initiatives like a cybersecurity clinic, the university said in a news release. The clinic will allow faculty, law enforcement and industry mentors to work together to provide students with hands-on experience that will also serve the community.
“When it comes to cybersecurity, we are only as strong as our weakest link,” Griffin said in a statement. “UA Little Rock is providing a shield and sword for Arkansans as one of the nation’s top cybersecurity programs. Its faculty is focused on providing real-world knowledge to its students. The CORE Center will enhance the program’s ability to produce well-prepared students who will, in turn, protect our citizens and their businesses, and join the fight against foreign and domestic adversaries in cyberspace.”
UA Little Rock’s cybersecurity program currently manages more than $5 million in annual grant funds. The school serves as the hub for the National Cyber Teaching Coalition, which has prepared more than 100 high school teachers to instruct cybersecurity and artificial intelligence courses in concurrent credit high school courses. UA Little Rock has plans to expand that initiative with a goal to provide the training for teachers in every school district throughout the state.
“The support we are receiving from the Attorney General’s office is an investment in the future of Arkansas,” UA Little Rock Provost Ann Bain said. “This funding empowers UA Little Rock to remain a leader, ensuring that we can continue to innovate, educate, and develop the skilled professionals Arkansas businesses need in the face of rising cyber threats. Together, we’re building a cybersecurity workforce that will protect and strengthen Arkansas from within.”
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