Center of Excellence: UNC Charlotte cybersecurity program lauded by National Security Administration
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recently was redesignated by the U.S. National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for Cyber Research through 2030, reaffirming the University’s foundational cybersecurity leadership.
One of only 93 universities in the U.S. to currently hold this designation, UNC Charlotte was a member of the NSA’s inaugural cohort of Centers of Academic Excellence for Cybersecurity Research when the agency created the cybersecurity research accolade in 2008. The University also has been recognized by NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense Education since that program’s inception in 2001, which was renewed in 2022 through 2028.
“We thank our partners at NSA for their continued recognition of UNC Charlotte’s commitment to advancing the field of cybersecurity,” said Bojan Cukic, professor and dean of the College of Computing and Informatics. “This distinction serves as a point of pride for UNC Charlotte and proves the significant impact of our research.”
UNC Charlotte’s work in the field began in earnest well before cybersecurity was a household word, while the internet was still in its infancy. Now, over 25 years later, the University is widely recognized among academic, business and government leaders as a driving force pushing the field of cyber defense forward. Now that cybersecurity is a top-of-mind priority for individuals and organizations of all sizes, CCI’s decades of expertise are more invaluable than ever.
“None of our successes would be possible without the support of the administration and our partners, both in industry and the public sector. Their support along with the dedication of our talented staff, faculty and student researchers is the secret to our leadership in this space,” said Weichao Wang, chair of the Department of Software and Information Systems within the College of Computing and Informatics.
UNC Charlotte’s cybersecurity endeavors span multiple disciplines working on high-impact projects and initiatives across the University, including:
Cyber Defense and Network Assurability (CyberDNA) Center
Led by Bei-Tseng “Bill” Chu, professor of software and information systems and the department’s founding chair, UNC Charlotte’s CyberDNA Center is a national leader in cybersecurity research and education. Since its establishment in 2001, the center and its members have worked to further research around creating secure, robust and resilient cyber and cyber-physical systems, and has led multidisciplinary efforts toward provable, measurable, automated and active cyber defense methods in response to society’s most pressing privacy and security concerns. CyberDNA also serves as an organizational umbrella within which numerous faculty-led research labs investigate a wide variety of specific cybersecurity subject areas and topics.
Center for Energy Security and Reliability (CESAR)
Founded in 2023, this UNC Charlotte center led by principal investigator Meera Sridhar, associate professor of software and information systems, is devoted to research surrounding the world’s growing need for clean, secure energy sources. In partnership with North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University, and funded by the North Carolina General Assembly’s UNC System ROI grant program, CESAR is actively engaged in cybersecurity research and development projects aimed at enhancing the security of power grids and distributed energy resources. University collaborators include the William States Lee College of Engineering’s Badrul Chowdhury, assistant director of EPIC and the William States Lee College of Engineering Distinguished Scholar and Professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Rob Cox, executive director of EPIC and the Duke Energy Distinguished Scholar in Power Engineering Systems.
North Carolina Partnership for Cybersecurity Excellence
Established in 2021 with NSA funding, this statewide coalition is accelerating the pace of cybersecurity development across North Carolina and the U.S., and is driving cybersecurity research and education with the goal of accelerating the economic growth of North Carolina public agencies and private businesses. Other member institutions include North Carolina State University, UNC Wilmington, East Carolina University, NC A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Shaw University, Duke University, Forsyth Technical Community College, Wake Technical Community College and Pitt Community College.
UNC Charlotte’s Annual Cybersecurity Symposium
Founded by Chu and now in its 25th year, UNC Charlotte’s annual symposium has drawn thousands of cybersecurity experts from around the country to campus to discuss cutting-edge security issues and best practices in cybersecurity in one of the nation’s largest gatherings of cybersecurity scholars and practitioners.
Cybersecurity Academic ProgramsThe College of Computing and Informatics offers high-quality cybersecurity academic programs and continuing education, including the undergraduate cybersecurity concentration in the computer science bachelor’s degree as well as the University’s cybersecurity master’s program — the first in North Carolina. In addition, IT professionals throughout the region take advantage of the University’s cybersecurity graduate certifications and bootcamp programs.