The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are conducting a meeting of National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance (IA) Education (CAE/IAE) Oct. 30-31 at the Hyatt Regency in Albuquerque. The University of New Mexico, which is one of 86 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education in the country, will be a part of the event that is being held to update the Centers on IA efforts and opportunities at the national level.
The meeting will also discuss the role of higher education in securing America’s Critical Information Infrastructure; and promote collaboration among the Centers to maximize expertise and resources.
A variety of sessions will be conducted for participants who will share information about their respective program with other schools, respective SEALs, and other interested and invited personnel from the Department of Defense and DHS.
The opening keynote address will feature UNM President David J. Schmidly and New Mexico Tech President Daniel H. López. Brian Lopez of the DHS will also provide an update as part of the first day activities. Additional activities include University Breakout sessions on both days. Also on the second day, the DoD and DHS will discuss related research topics.
The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) Program is an outreach program designed and operated initially by the National Security Agency (NSA) as part of the Presidential Decision Directive 63, National Policy on Critical Infrastructure Protection, May 1998. The NSA and the Department of Homeland Security in support of the President's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, February 2003, now jointly sponsor the program.
The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance (IA), and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines.
UNM was designated as a National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance earlier this year. The designation is for five academic years beginning in 2007. The efforts were spearheaded by Anderson School of Management Professors Alessandro Seazzu, Stephen Burd, Christopher Conway and retired professor William Bullers.
For more information about the CAEIAE Program visit: CAEIAE Program.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu