Louisiana Tech University’s Center for Information Assurance has had two significant milestones, leading to increased recognition in cybersecurity research and teaching. The Center, housed in the College of Business, earned the prestigious re-designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and received a $500,000 anonymous gift to support ongoing high-impact research and education. 

Louisiana Tech is one of only 46 institutions nationwide and the only in Louisiana to hold designations as both a CAE in Cyber Research and a CAE in Cyber Defense Education.

“This CAE-R re-designation, coupled with our designation as a CAE in cyber defense education, is external validation that our faculty and doctoral students are conducting interdisciplinary research that solves our nation’s most challenging cybersecurity problems,” said Dr. Selwyn Ellis, director of the Center for Information Assurance and chair of the department of computer information systems. “This effort spans four of Louisiana Tech’s colleges. It was that collaboration, spearheaded by our tremendous College of Business faculty, that allowed us to achieve the re-designation.”

Louisiana Tech’s Center for Information Assurance has been continuously credentialed as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity by the NSA since 2009. The CAE status reflects an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to cybersecurity education, while fostering significant community involvement, academic activities, and institutional practices in cybersecurity.

“I’m extremely proud of the faculty in our CIS Department for their diligent work to ensure Tech received this re-affirmation,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “I am also grateful to our donor for this significant gift to the Center for Information Assurance. The impact is far-reaching for not only the Center, but our College, University, state, and nation as we educate the next generation of cybersecurity leaders and produce impactful research in the field.”

The $500,000 gift will support the Center’s mission to foster and conduct innovative education, training, and research in information assurance, cybersecurity, and cyber defense of computer information systems across all types of industries.

In addition to being leaders in the field of information assurance research, CIS faculty regularly partner with civic organizations, schools, and professional groups to educate community members on the latest trends in the cyber world. They also serve as chairs for notable academic conferences including the Americas Conference for Information Systems, Dewald Roode Workshop on Information Systems Security Research, and International Conference for Information Systems.

“Our students benefit from having these top researchers as their professors and mentors,” said Martin. “They are authoring CIS textbooks, chairing the most notable conferences in the field, and serving as subject matter experts across the globe. Their expertise allows our NSA-certified curriculum to be market-responsive, producing well-trained and capable information assurance and cybersecurity experts. This gift ensures we are able to sustain this momentum and build upon our successes.”

In addition to the undergraduate computer information systems major, the MBA concentration in information assurance, and the Ph.D. in computer information systems, the department boasts two certificates. The graduate certificate in information assurance and the undergraduate certificate in information assurance and cyber security management prepare students to excel in positions in information systems, computer forensics, network security, and more. The graduate certificate holds the cyber defense education (CAE-CDE) designation.

For more information on the Center for Information Assurance, click here. For more information on the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, click here.