MRI-R2: Acquisition for the Critical Infrastructure Security and Assessment Laboratory (CISAL)

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). A strong need for research activities on critical infrastructure protection motivated the establishment of a research facility at Jacksonville State University (JSU) whose primary purpose is to investigate, develop, implement, and assess security technologies for critical infrastructure protection. This cross-disciplinary project undertaken by the Mathematical, Computer and Information Sciences (MCIS) and the Engineering and Technology departments represents a novel approach of establishing a cybersecurity-focused research laboratory facility that emulates multiple configurations of real industrial control systems. The project builds upon the existing STEM knowledge base in the areas of network security, risk assessment, security compliance, industrial controls, and digital forensic analysis to enhance existing and develop new security technologies in an area of national need. The lessons learned and the experiences gained in designing and utilizing the facility will provide a blueprint for the design of similar facilities in medium to large sized institutions of higher education. A key component of this project is the collaborative effort that will take place between JSU, area community colleges, and industrial partners in maximizing the utilization of the proposed research facility through active collaborations. The creation of new and the adoption of existing STEM knowledge nuggets, including the creative research techniques in security, networks, and industrial controls, will provide exemplary materials to institutions with diverse demographics. JSU, having been recently designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, is in a unique position of being able to contribute to broadening the participation of the underrepresented groups through the diversity of its student population. In addition, this project will target smaller institutions of learning, including institutions that traditionally serve underrepresented groups, as future collaborators. The collaboration between JSU, area community colleges and industrial partners can serve as a model for future collaborations between institutions of higher learning and the industrial sector. The results of our research and project evaluation will be disseminated using a dedicated Web server ? a cost-effective approach to closing the gap between those who have access to rich learning opportunities and those who do not. We will initiate a pilot workshop for community college instructors and industry personnel on the utilization and capability of the research facility. Since the reach of this project can extend beyond STEM disciplines, the project will also provide orientation workshops to faculty members of other disciplines to stimulate a cross-pollination of research methods and ideas that will impact information security.