UNO Professor Gets NSF Grant to Train High School Teachers in Cyber Security
University of New Orleans computer science professor Golden Richard III was awarded an $87,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to intensively train high school teachers in information security. UNO received one of only six awards in the nation under this program.
The grant will fund a two-week, all-expenses paid cybersecurity training program for 15 high school teachers from the Gulf South during the summer of 2014.
"The goal of the training is to significantly increase knowledge of cybersecurity issues, so the teachers can introduce at least basic concepts at the high school level and increase student awareness of this important field," said Richard, a professor of computer science and the director of the Greater New Orleans Center for Information Assurance.
According to Richard, there's a major shortage of cybersecurity professionals, particularly ones with a strong computer science background. High school students need to be made aware of career opportunities in the field and the prerequisites to enter college cybersecurity programs, Richard said. Given the complexity of cybersecurity and the lack of available and affordable training programs, high school teachers are not prepared to address this issue without assistance, he said.
The University of New Orleans is the only university in the state that is certified in information assurance by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
