Follow Robert Facebook
Email Robert Email
Education
Sep 7, 2021

Cybersecurity In Focus At UNCW

Sponsored Content provided by Robert Burrus - Dean , Cameron School of Business - UNC-Wilmington

Contributed by Dr. Ulku Y. Clark, Professor of Management Information Systems,
and Dr. Geoff Stoker, Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems, Congdon School of SC, BA, IS


As the digital revolution reaches middle age, spawning billions of networked digital devices moving vast amounts of information at higher speeds than even before, the need for good cybersecurity is coming strongly into focus.  No longer the province of specialists, cybersecurity is the concern of everyone that touches an electronic device.  With over 460,000 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S. (17,000+ in N.C.), the need to produce workforce-ready graduates is acute and UNCW is striving to do its part to meet this growing need.
 
Faculty, Staff, and Students have been steadily cultivating a strong cybersecurity culture at UNCW for well over a decade with the pace of development accelerating in recent years.  In 2018, UNCW was designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) & Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).  Currently, there are 302 CAE-CDE designated schools (11 in N.C.) from among the nearly 4,000 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the U.S. (about 7.5%).
 
UNCW established the Center for Cyber Defense Education (CCDE) in the same year they received CAE-CDE designation.  The CCDE has the stated purpose to strengthen the cybersecurity aptitude of our entire community of scholars, so they are equipped to wisely balance the unique risks of living in an all-digital future.  With UNCW administration support, the CCDE team, consisting of cybersecurity faculty, staff, students, and advisory board members, has been positively affecting the cybersecurity posture of UNCW and the southeast N.C. community across many fronts, including community outreach, curriculum program development, faculty involvement, and student participation.
 
Outreach to the broader southeast N.C. community has involved a series of conferences, workshops, panels, and speaking engagements.  The main CCDE outreach event is the annual cybersecurity awareness conference held each year since 2019 during the month of October.  This year’s conference, held entirely online, will take place October 23rd from 8:30am-4:45pm and feature two keynote speakers along with three panels of experts addressing current cybersecurity trends, cybersecurity awareness, and cybersecurity compliance.  Through these events, CCDE increases awareness of the community in cybersecurity issues, offers a networking and collaboration environment to regional cybersecurity professionals, and keeps students informed of current trends and technologies.
 
On the education front UNCW offers an array of cybersecurity-related programs:
  • IT Major with Cybersecurity Concentration: this is an interdisciplinary technical program with an emphasis on practical hands-on skills; some of the core courses are focused on industry certification training; students completing this path receive a certificate from NSA/DHS
  • CS Major with Security Concentration: detail-oriented technical computer science program with a cybersecurity focus
  • Cybersecurity Minor: 18-credit hour interdisciplinary minor open to all UNCW majors
  • MBA with Cybersecurity Specialization: designed for managers interested in leading organizational cybersecurity programs
  • Cybersecurity Major: the interdisciplinary cybersecurity program recently approved by the UNC Board of Governors to begin fall 2022, this is the first cybersecurity undergraduate major offered in the UNC system; some of the core courses are focused on industry certification training
 
A key part of creating workforce-ready graduates is providing on-the-job training to bring alive knowledge acquired during formal classroom education.  Internship and apprenticeship programs with UNCW’s own Information Technology Security Department (ITS), and UNCW partner organizations like DefenseStorm, nCino and Live Oak Bank provide those important opportunities for students.  The CCDE is always on the lookout for additional partnership opportunities.  Cybersecurity students can potentially fill gaps for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) that do not have the staff or budget space for full-time help.  Email CCDE Director Dr. Clark if your organization is interested in partnering with UNCW in this area.  For more information on UNCW cybersecurity programs and CCDE activities including this year’s cybersecurity awareness conference, please visit https://uncw.edu/ccde/.
 

Other Posts from Robert Burrus

Uncwgradprogram 300x250
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Cfss headshots parker robert webversion 21422121214

Duke Energy Will Pay You Up to $9,000 to Go Solar with a Battery

Robert Parker - Cape Fear Solar Systems
Bovio ernie ceo 240207 head 712412398

Novant Health Creates Educational Opportunities, Building a Brighter Future for Healthcare

Ernie Bovio - New Hanover Regional Medical Center Novant Health
Untitleddesign5

Is Servant Leadership Effective?

John Monahan - Vistage

Trending News

Endowment Announces $14M In Housing Grants

Emma Dill - Sep 30, 2024

Report: UNCW Has $3.2 Billion Economic Impact statewide

Emma Dill - Sep 30, 2024

Element Outdoor Living Wins National Award For Oceanfront Project

Staff Reports - Oct 1, 2024

Two Join Cornerstone Business Advisors Team

Staff Reports - Oct 1, 2024

Workers Strike At Wilmington's Port, Halting Operations

Emma Dill - Oct 1, 2024

In The Current Issue

Campaign Highlights Native Plants

The campaign, a joint effort by the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees (ACFT) and the N.C. Cooperative Extension-New Hanover County, is essential...


The Ebbs, Flows Of Flood Insurance

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)....


Are DEI Efforts Fading Away? ‘Diversity, Equity And Inclusion’ Become Highly Charged Words

Former Wilmington DEI executives say the momentum of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that flared up in 2020 has fizzled out....

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2024 Power Breakfast: The Next Season