The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) received a $3,015,000 grant from the United States Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday in support of the UTSA-led National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium. The award follows a $471,549 grant from the National Security Agency, announced Monday, to fund cybersecurity training for wounded veterans and members of the Army Reserve.
UTSA is among five universities that make up the consortium, which was founded to identify vulnerabilities in the United States’ cyber infrastructure, raise awareness among policymakers of the threat cyber-attacks pose, and provide strategies for strengthening the nation’s cyber defenses.
The federal grant “will allow UTSA to continue to support state and local governments who want to establish viable and sustainable cyber security programs to deal with the very real cyber threat,” Dr. Gregory White, director of UTSA’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, stated in a news release.
Among the impacts of the consortium’s efforts, The National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act (H.R. 4743) was passed this May by the U.S. House of Representatives. The act authorizes the Dept. of Homeland Security to work with NGOs and universities in its endeavors to prevent and respond to cyber attacks. Rep. Joaquín Castro (TX-20), who sponsored the bill, cites the National Cybersecurity Consortium as the inspiration behind the eponymous legislation.
“UTSA is leading the charge to ensure our first responders and state and local governments have the ability to prevent and respond to cyberattacks,” Rep. Castro stated in a news release. “With this substantial funding, UTSA will be able to share its expertise more broadly and bolster the safety of communities across the nation.”
Top image: UTSA student Justin Gray (center) works with his team during the 2015 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in April 2015. Photo by Scott Ball.
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