Forge Institute and The University Of Arkansas Announce Partnership To Advance Applied Research In Cybersecurity To Support National Defense
Key Facts:
● Collaboration to provide cybersecurity and national security related applied research opportunities for Arkansas researchers
● Partnership will create nationally competitive environment for cybersecurity and defense economic development opportunities for Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK, AR, January 19, 2021. Today the Forge Institute, along with the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (UA-Fayetteville) and University of Arkansas Little Rock (UA-Little Rock), jointly announce a partnership to advance applied research in areas that support our national defense, including cybersecurity. This collaboration brings together the best resources, research and capabilities of UA-Fayetteville and UA-Little Rock, along with the unique capabilities & relationships of the Forge Institute.
Forge Institute will collaborate with key researchers to enable access to unique research opportunities in support of our nation’s national defense. This partnership is a first-of-its-kind opportunity in Arkansas and will lead to competitive research, collaboration opportunities and create a platform for economic growth and job creation.
Initial university collaborators will be Professor Philip Huff (UA-Little Rock) and Dr. Chris Farnell (UA-Fayetteville) and will focus on next-generation cybersecurity defensive capabilities for industrial control systems (ICS/SCADA) to further the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure. The joint team will leverage the capabilities of the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT) testbed at UA-Fayetteville, the UA Little Rock Cyber Gym and the professional and experienced team and capabilities of the Forge Institute.
UA-Fayetteville and UA-Little Rock are designated National Security Agency (NSA) & US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Academic Centers of Excellence. In addition, UA-Fayetteville is also a US Department of Energy Center of Academic Excellence.
“We are excited to partner with UA-Little Rock and UA-Fayetteville to develop innovative solutions that will help address our nation’s complex and growing cyber and national security challenges. By connecting to and building upon the existing cyber and defense sector in the State, we are establishing a foundation to drive innovation that will directly lead to high-paying jobs for Arkansans. I’m excited about this collaboration and how it will better position our state and country to defend against advanced cyber adversaries and grow the State’s economy.” Lee Watson, Chairman & CEO, Forge Institute
“As Managing Director of the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT) and a researcher in Cybersecurity, Department of Electrical Engineering at UA-Fayetteville, I am excited to work with the Forge Institute on advanced applied research programs.” - Chris Farnell, PhD, Managing Director of the NCREPT.
“The Emerging Analytics Center at UA-Little Rock has been working with the Forge Institute for over a year. We are pleased to extend this collaborative effort to work on some of the nation’s most challenging cybersecurity artificial intelligence problems. This collaboration will enable access to applied research opportunities for Arkansas students and research faculty.” Philip Huff, Professor, Cybersecurity, Department of Computer Science.
About Forge Institute
Forge Institute provides a number of workforce development courses and other offerings that empower our partners with cutting-edge technologies and capabilities to advance cyber operational objectives and enhance our national security posture. For more information, visit the Forge Institute at: https://www.forge.institute.
About UA-Little Rock
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a metropolitan research university that provides an accessible, quality education through flexible learning and unparalleled internship opportunities. At UA Little Rock, we prepare our almost 9,000 students to be innovators and responsible leaders in their fields. Committed to its metropolitan research university mission, UA Little Rock is a driving force in Little Rock’s thriving cultural community and a major component of the city and state’s growing profile as a regional leader in research, technology transfer, economic development, and job creation.
About UA-Fayetteville
The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.
https://ualr.edu/news/2021/01/19/cybersecurity-partnership-2
