Purdue University Northwest's (PNW) College of Technology has been awarded over $3 million through two separate U.S. Department of Defense grants that will supplement the college’s ongoing initiatives to advance education and workforce development in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).
PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity, a research center administered by the College of Technology, received $3 million in continued support for its AI-cybersecurity workforce certification training online programs. The programs facilitate opportunities for transitioning military, first responders, government employees and other adult trainees to earn core cybersecurity skills. By completing PNW’s training, participants are prepared for future cybersecurity certification exams and transitions to AI and cybersecurity careers.
Director of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity and professor of Computer Information Technology, Michael Tu said, “We are incredibly proud to receive this grant award so that we can continue providing significant workforce development opportunities for various transitioning professionals and support them in filling the gaps for the nation’s AI and cybersecurity workforce.”
PNW’s share of $3 million is a sub-award of $9.6 million granted to the University of West Florida’s Center for Cybersecurity, one of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity’s academic partners, through the federal National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program.
The PNW College of Technology’s department of Computer Information Technology and Graphics also received $375,000 in renewed funding for the Cyber Service Academy scholarship, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Defense. The scholarship program benefits rising junior and senior undergraduate students and graduate students pursuing eligible degrees in cybersecurity and information technology with coverage of students’ tuition, books, fees and room and board.
PNW’s program is free for accepted applicants and provides tracks in AI literacy, cybersecurity administration and digital forensics. To learn more, visit pnw.edu/cybersecurity.
