The National Security Agency awarded Peggy Brouse, Director of Cyber Security Engineering, Systems Engineering and Operations Research, a $303,976 grant to buy equipment for a cyber physical lab. The award also will build Mason’s research and education efforts in cyber security and promote U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) education, Brouse said. Specifically, the lab will support cyber security team projects to help students collaborate with cyber experts who are working in their field. Students in the lab will design security solutions utilizing cryptography, privacy and cyber defense methodologies for networks, operating systems, databases and software applications. The lab also will have workshops and seminars on cyber security so hiring agencies can meet Mason students and discuss major problems associated with cyber security in the real world. Mason students will be integrating cyber physical systems and big data into their team projects. Mason will work with the USAR community to identify and manage students for the program. Mason joined forces this fall with Virginia Tech and other Virginia public universities to train the workforce needed to keep data and systems safe from cyber threats as part of the Virginia Cyber Range project.
