Highlights and Resources for Industry

• 8 Institutions have been designated by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense:
  
  • Augusta University
  • Columbus State University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Georgia Southern University
  • Kennesaw State University
  • Middle Georgia State University
  • University of Georgia
  • University of North Georgia
• There were 31,941 students in cyber-related programs in 2019
  
  • A 51% increase from 2016
• USG institutions offer 155 cyber-related degree programs within 7 major areas of concentration:
  
  • Management Information Systems
  • Computer and Information Sciences
  • Information Technology
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Information Science/Studies
  • Information Systems Security/Assurance
• The number of students graduating from cyber-related programs has grown:
  
  • 4,079 students in 2017
  • 4,988 students in 2018
  • 5,577 students in 2019
  • 6,492 students in 2020

Talent, Education & Research

Augusta University

Contact: Michael Shaffer
Executive Vice President, AU Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development
Email: wshaffer@augusta.edu
Phone: 706-721-4413
Web: cyber.augusta.edu/georgia

• Augusta University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates ranging from cyber engineering to medical informatics, cyberterrorism and information security management.
• The Georgia Cyber Center, which is the largest investment in a cybersecurity facility by a state government, is the new home of AU’s Cyber Institute and its School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. The GCC is the first facility of its kind, combining collaboration among academia, state and federal government, law enforcement, the U.S. Army, and the private sector.

Columbus State University

Contact: Michael Barker
Director, TSYS Cybersecurity Center
Email: barker_michael1@columbusstate.edu
Phone: 706-507-8198
Web: cs.columbusstate.edu/cyber

• The TSYS Cybersecurity Center is a $2.5 million facility offering cyber innovation and interdisciplinary research.
• The cyber defense curriculum was developed in cooperation with several local industries and trade groups. Degrees include computer science with a cybersecurity track, a master’s in cybersecurity management, a nexus degree in cybersecurity of financial technology, and a nationally recognized master’s in applied computer science with a cybersecurity concentration.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Contact: Wenke Lee
Co-Executive Director, Institute for Information Security & Privacy
Email: wenke@cc.gatech.edu
Phone: 404-385-2879
Web: cyber.gatech.edu

• Thirteen labs and cyber centers allow over 600 scientists, faculty and students to conduct research across seven units: computing, engineering, public policy, business, professional education, national defense and information technology.
• The online Master of Science in cybersecurity was designed to address the severe global workforce shortage and allows students anywhere to get certified in one of three tracks: information security, energy systems or policy.

Georgia Southern University

Contact: Scott C. Scheidt
Executive Director, Center for Applied Cyber Education (Armstrong Campus)
Email: sscheidt@georgiasouthern.edu
Phone: 912-344-2750
Web: academics.georgiasouthern.edu/cace

• The CACE has been designated by the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center as a Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence.
• Georgia Southern maintains a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon as an academic training partner for the Army cyber workforce, collaborating to provide education to local, regional and national military constituents with a focus on digital forensics, cryptography and network analysis.

Georgia State University

Contact: David Maimon
Director, Evidence-Based Cyber Security Research Group
Email: dmaimon@gsu.edu
Phone: 404-413-1019
Web: ebcs.gsu.edu

• The Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies seeks to produce empirical evidence and provide systematic reviews of existing empirical research regarding the potential effect of cybersecurity policies and tools in preventing the development and progression of cyber-dependent crimes.
• Georgia State’s teaching lab is connected to a standalone network that provides students, cybersecurity researchers and experts with hands-on experience. Learners are able to identify vulnerable targets to help guide and design configuration of more secure computer environments.

Kennesaw State University

Contact: Michael E. Whitman
Executive Director, Institute for Cybersecurity Workforce Development
Email: mwhitman@kennesaw.edu
Phone: 470-578-3568
Web: cyberinstitute.kennesaw.edu

• Kennesaw offers a B.S. in cybersecurity, a completely online degree with major-level courses. This eMajor program is an affordable and high-demand post-secondary degree that addresses the workplace and cybersecurity needs of Georgia and beyond.
• The university hosts the Conference on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice and the Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice.

Middle Georgia State University

Contact: Kevin S. Floyd
Executive Director, Center for Cybersecurity Education and Applied Research
Email: kevin.floyd@mga.edu
Phone: 478-471-2801
Web: mga.edu/computing/information-technology/ccear/

• CCEAR provides education and research in information assurance, network security, digital forensics, cryptography, risk assessment/mitigation, disaster recovery/management, security regulations/compliance, and information security management.
• MGSU is the first institution in Georgia to have both an undergrad and grad program receive a CAE-CD designation.

University of Georgia

Contact: Kang Li
Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy
Email: kangli@uga.edu
Phone: 706-583-0395
Web: cybersecurity.uga.edu

• The ICSP aims to meet the nation’s cybersecurity needs with multidisciplinary programs and research, outreach activities, and industry partnership.
• Research, funded by agencies such as the National Science Foundation and U.S. Air Force, covers network and system security, web and mobile device security, and cybercrime attribution, among numerous other areas.

University of North Georgia

Contact: Bryson R. Payne
Director, Center for Cyber Operations Education
Email: bryson.payne@ung.edu
Phone: 706-864-1694
Web: ung.edu/cyber-operations-education

• The Center for Cyber Operations Education prepares students for military and civilian careers in cybersecurity, cyber operations and defenses.
• UNG won the 2019 NSA Codebreaker Challenge after taking third place in 2018.