UNO’s Cybersecurity program, in the College of Information Science and Technology, was recently designated a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations by the National Security Agency (NSA).
It’s one of only 17 institutions nationwide to receive this designation.
Dr. Hesham Ali, the Dean of the College of IS&T at UNO, says Cybersecurity is likely one of the biggest challenges we will face in this generation and that this designation is validation their program is preparing students to be successful. Ali says Cybersecurity is one of their fastest growing programs, and he is not surprised students are drawn to it.
“I think students get to see, by hearing the news, by watching TV, that cybersecurity is going to be an issue for years and years to come. So, they are motivated by the relevance, and also by the excitement – catching the bad guys. But these days the bad guys are not the ones breaking into your cars or your home, they break into your bank accounts or an account associated with maybe a grocery store or an airline.”
Ali says UNO is unique in offering Cybersecurity as a major at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He says the NSA team identified the interdisciplinary nature of the UNO program -- incorporating subjects like communications and foreign languages -- as one of its unique strengths.
For more information the website is IST.UNomaha.edu