March 8, 2022

Dakota State University has been named to the U.S. Cyber Command’s Academic Engagement Network, joining other colleges and universities nationwide in the partnership.

There were 84 colleges and universities selected to partner with the command and components. That includes 70 universities and 14 community colleges. Of the total, there are nine minority serving institutions, four military service academies and four military war and staff colleges.

“Cyber Command’s goal for the AEN is to strengthen our relationships and communication with these participating institutions,” CYBERCOM’s executive director David Frederick said in a statement. “This will improve and sustain our efforts to meet cyberspace educational requirements and workforce needs.”

The command said it intends to use the AEN to support and enhance future workforce, applied cyber research, applied analytics and strategic issues. The idea is to invest in these areas to create a robust and accessible pool of qualified cyber professionals, a partnership it called “vital to remaining agile and ready in the cyber domain.”

The AEN extends partnerships to institutions through collaboration and access to CYBERCOM via scheduled events and engagements with command staff, the Cyber National Mission Force and four component commands.

“DSU’s Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences will join CYBERCOM to support and enhance future workforce, applied cyber research, applied analytics and strategic issues,” said Dr. Richard Hanson, interim provost at DSU. “These efforts represent an investment in creating a robust and accessible pool of qualified cyber professionals.”

Some of the other AEN institutions include the Air Force Academy, Iowa State University, Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute, Kansas State University, Purdue University Global, Texas A&M University, The Citadel, University of South Florida, Virginia Military Institute, West Point and Wichita State University.