On April 11, 2023, IUP hosted senior personnel from the Department of Defense’s Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Business Systems Center.
Retired Lt. Col. Hal Gobin, Kathleen Lancaster, and Kevin Davis visited with IUP administration, faculty, staff, and students to learn more about the IUP Cybersecurity program, current research projects, and to present a talk titled “Accelerating Digital Solutions.” Guests from DoD NAVSUP met with IUP President Dr. Michael Driscoll, CNSM Dean Dr. Steven Horan, Math and Computer Science Department Chair Dr. Francisco Alarcon, and Director of the IUP Institute for Cybersecurity (ICS) Dr. Waleed Farag.
Dr. Farag presented an overview of IUP’s Institute for Cybersecurity, the Cybersecurity program, and the many research projects ongoing at IUP, including the Cyber Scholarship Program and the PC4A Project, both funded by the Department of Defense.
DoD NAVSUP guests also had an opportunity to meet with current DoD CySP recipients and applicants. Vincent Emery, a senior in IUP’s Computer Science - Cybersecurity program and two-time recipient of the DoD CySP, was among the group of students who participated in the meeting. Mr. Emery said “It was a great day. We got to meet with the NAVSUP team and learn more about how IUP and NAVSUP are collaborating. The team also shared information on what NAVSUP is looking for in employees, how to pursue a career at the DoD, and insight on the important work NAVSUP is doing to supply the US Navy’s fleet.”
Collaboration with various DoD agencies has long been a cornerstone in the outreach efforts of the Institute for Cybersecurity, led by Dr. Waleed Farag. Expanding these collaborations is also an important aspect of the PC4A Project. Dr. Farag said “Exploring opportunities to engage with DoD agencies is vital to our efforts in strengthening the cybersecurity workforce. This visit shows that NAVSUP values these collaborative efforts as well, and that our cybersecurity program is highly regarded among employers. We look forward to finding more ways to partner with NAVSUP and other DoD and DIB agencies in the future.”
