Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced Thursday, Oct. 31, a $1 million grant to establish a cybersecurity research and education center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

UA Little Rock will use the funding to create the Cyberspace Operations Research and Education (CORE) Center, which will enhance research opportunities and support the development of the nation’s future cybersecurity workforce. ‘Arkansas.

“When it comes to cybersecurity, we are only as strong as our weakest link,” Griffin said. “UA Little Rock provides a shield and a sword to Arkansans as one of the best cybersecurity programs in the country. Its faculty strives to provide 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.

The funding will be used to design and renovate more than 5,000 square feet of space within the Engineering and Information Technology building that will house the CORE Center, providing a secure space for students and faculty to collaborate on sensitive projects in partnership with community leaders, law enforcement and industry mentors.

In addition, the funding will pay the salary of an operations coordinator and a financial director of the CORE Center for two years. The UA Little Rock Cybersecurity Program currently manages more than $5 million in annual grants.

The addition of these two positions will allow UA Little Rock to secure new grants, onboard new students and provide service-learning experiences through initiatives such as the Cybersecurity Clinic that will allow faculty , law enforcement and industry mentors to work together to provide students. a practical experience that will also serve the community.

“The support we receive from the Attorney General’s Office is an investment in Arkansas’ future,” said Ann Bain, director of UA Little Rock. “This funding allows UA Little Rock to remain a leader, ensuring we can continue to innovate, educate and develop the skilled professionals Arkansas businesses need in the face of growing cyber threats.” Together, we are building a cybersecurity workforce that will protect and strengthen Arkansas from the inside out.

“We are deeply grateful to Attorney General Tim Griffin for this important investment,” said Dr. Philip Huff, associate professor of cybersecurity at UA Little Rock. “This funding allows us to create a dedicated, secure space that provides students with hands-on learning opportunities, protects our communities and enhances the educational experience at UA Little Rock and our Arkansas university and community college partners . With this support, we will help make Arkansas safer and foster meaningful, lasting careers that will help protect our nation and its critical infrastructure.

The UA Little Rock Cybersecurity program is recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) with a Cyber ​​Defense Designation (CAE-CD) and is a member of the Cybersecurity Clinics Consortium to meet the needs of the cybersecurity community. The program supports collaboration with community colleges and partners across Arkansas, with a particular focus on minority and underrepresented student populations.

UA Little Rock also serves as a hub for the National Cyber ​​Teaching Coalition, which has prepared more than 100 high school teachers to teach cybersecurity and artificial intelligence courses in concurrent high school credit courses. UA Little Rock plans to expand this initiative with the goal of providing this training to teachers in every school district in the state.

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