WACO, Texas — Baylor University officially unveiled its new cybersecurity center on Thursday, Sept. 7, the Central Texas Cyber Range.
The Cyber Range is a multi-million-dollar center that is intended to provide "comprehensive research" in cybersecurity as well as cyber resilience and training for the cybersecurity workforce to address needs at local, national and international levels.
Baylor said the center will partner with McLennan County Community College (MCC) to specialize in applied research and education.
Representatives from both Baylor and MCC, as well as Congressman Pete Sessions, celebrated the center's launch with a ribbon cutting on Sept. 7.
“We believe that Central Texas can be a leader in developing a qualified workforce to address this pressing need for cybersecurity research and training in our state and in our nation, and the Central Texas Cyber Range is an important step forward in this pursuit,” Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., said. “I am deeply grateful for MCC’s partnership and support with Baylor in creating the Central Texas Cyber Range, and to Congressman Pete Sessions, who has been a wonderful advocate and supporter of this project.”
The Cyber Range received $2.5 million in Department of Education grant awards through two congressional appropriations championed by Sessions, said Baylor. Over $1 million in funding also came from Baylor's Office of the Vice Provost for Research, as well as some funding from private donors. Baylor said industry partnerships and their partnership with MCC helped bring the project to fruition.
“The opening of the Central Texas Cyber Range marks a significant milestone for the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative and the broader Waco community. This state-of-the-art facility is the product of a coordinated vision that I am excited to support in Congress,” said Congressman Sessions. “As America becomes increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure, developing our cybersecurity workforce is no longer optional but essential. This Cyber Range will train students with leading-edge skills to counter cybersecurity threats and graduate professionals in this critical field. I am excited to support projects that help to establish Baylor University, McLennan Community College and McLennan County as national leaders in cybersecurity.”
Programming and outreach to area schools reportedly began this past summer, with future initiatives in development, such as certification programs and a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity with a pathway from MCC to Baylor.
Baylor and MCC both hold designations as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defence by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. Baylor is also a member of the USCYBERCOM Academic Engagement Network.
“Our faculty and students are excited about the partnership with Baylor University as we work together to nurture future leaders in Central Texas who will make a difference in combatting cybersecurity threats and in developing new research and techniques to respond to these threats,” said MCC President Johnette McKown. “Part of the benefit is developing a seamless transfer for our graduates to Baylor which enriches their lives and also our community.”
Cybersecurity falls under the umbrella of Data Sciences, one of the five signature academic initiatives of Baylor’s Illuminate strategic plan, which, according to Baylor, provided a roadmap to greater research impact and R1 recognition from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
“Cybersecurity is a matter of high priority for our citizens, our industries and the state. The preparation of cybersecurity professionals to protect our systems and data will take place at our range, serving the entire Central Texas region,” said Baylor Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D.
The CTCR is located inside the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC), in a 3,000-square-foot space outfitted with the latest technology. It is also reportedly designed for expansion in the future.
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