The US Department of Defense has taken a significant step towards enhancing cybersecurity capabilities by awarding a $1.85 million grant to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). This funding is earmarked for the establishment of a Cyber Service Academy aimed at training future cybersecurity professionals through comprehensive scholarships and practical defense training.
Over the next five years, the grant will support four to five students annually at ERAU’s Prescott, Arizona campus. Selected recipients will benefit from full tuition coverage, a living stipend, and tailored mentoring. In return, students must commit to serving in cyber intelligence and defense roles within the Pentagon after their graduation.
This initiative is part of a concerted effort to tackle the nationwide cybersecurity workforce shortage, which currently sees over 500,000 positions unfilled across various sectors, including around 20,000 vacancies specifically within the Pentagon.
The new funding will further enhance the training opportunities provided by ERAU. Since 2020, the university has received over $3.5 million in Cyber Service Academy funding, which has been instrumental in preparing students for the evolving challenges of end-to-end cybersecurity. The latest grant will also allow for expanded training in critical areas such as artificial intelligence security, cyber resilience, and aerospace cybersecurity.
Students will collaborate closely with faculty through the university’s Center for Aerospace Resilient Systems, which partners with both government and industry to address pressing cybersecurity challenges and promote workforce development.
Dr. Krishna Sampigethaya, chair of the Department of Cyber Intelligence and Security at ERAU, emphasized that this award highlights the Pentagon’s confidence in the university’s sector-leading program. “It showcases Embry-Riddle’s national leadership in cybersecurity education and is a major milestone for our department and the Prescott campus,” she noted.
In recognition of its contributions to the field, last year the Prescott campus was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency. This designation underscores the university’s commitment to fostering the next generation of specialists dedicated to safeguarding national security against cyber threats.
