Funding for Tech and Talent to Secure
Autonomous Systems Against Cyberattack
Benedict College and Integer Technologies announce that the
Office of Naval Research (ONR) has awarded a $7.9 million contract
to increase the cyber resilience of autonomous systems and enhance
the workforce supporting the defense research enterprise.
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Benedict College and Integer Technologies
were pleased to host Rear Admiral Kurt J. Rothenhaus, Chief of
Naval Research, to discuss how this partnership will augment
cybersecurity research and STEM workforce diversity for the
military. Pictured (L to R): Gurcan Comert, Ph.D., associate
professor at Benedict College; Aravind Prakash, Ph.D., lead cyber
physical systems scientist at Integer; Dylan Temple, Ph.D.,
director of technology development at Integer; Abdulmajid Mrebit,
Ph.D., assistant professor at Benedict College; Rear Adm. Kurt J.
Rothenhaus; Godwin E. Mbamalu, Ph.D., associate vice president for
research and distinguished professor at Benedict College; Negash
Begashaw, Ph.D., associate professor at Benedict College; Josh
Knight, Ph.D., COO at Integer; Crystal Pee, Ph.D., STEM Workforce
Development Research Scientist at Integer. Not pictured: Benedict
College President and CEO, Roslyn Clark Artis, J.D., Ed.D., and
Duke Hartman, CEO of Integer. Photo credit: Terrell Maxwell.
The two main components of the program, titled Resilient
Autonomous Systems and Workforce Diversity, include: 1) research
into automated cyber-physical security to improve the resilience of
intelligent autonomous systems (IAS) against cyberattacks, and 2)
enhancing the defense research capacity and STEM curriculum
(science, technology, engineering, and math) at Benedict College to
support the development of a highly skilled, technical workforce
trained to meet the specialized technology needs of the U.S.
Department of Defense (DoD).
Recruiting, educating, and retaining a world-class workforce is
one of the strategic goals in the Navy’s IAS Science and Technology
Strategy. Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs)
represent a critical resource for STEM graduates, especially as
they have a high percentage of students who are U.S. citizens, a
key requirement for DoD projects. Both the industry and academic
portions of the work will be performed in Columbia, SC.
Funding from this contract will support the development of a
master’s degree program in computer science and engineering at
Benedict College, which would be the first graduate engineering
degree of its kind at an HBCU in South Carolina.
“ONR is proud to sponsor research on a unique opportunity like
this that both enhances our cyber resilience and the diversity of
our defense workforce,” said Dr. Thomas C. Fu, head of ONR’s Sea
Warfare and Weapons Department. “Investing in research and
workforce development at HBCUs is a priority for us to advance our
national security objectives with a broad pipeline of highly
trained, highly skilled men and women.”
“Benedict College has been strategically investing in STEM and
our research capacity for years, and this award is a result of that
effort. As we will demonstrate in this work, HBCUs have an
important contribution to make to America’s national security and
workforce,” said Benedict College President and CEO, Roslyn Clark
Artis, J.D., Ed.D. “Integer has been an incredible partner to help
us navigate doing business with the Department of Defense,
strengthening our STEM infrastructure, and connecting our students
to the defense industry, and we’re looking forward to working with
them on this exciting program.”
“This program will enable Benedict College to increase our
research capacity by recruiting highly skilled faculty for research
and teaching in contemporary engineering disciplines, such as
simulating cyberattacks against autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity
engineering, machine learning, etc., and will provide our students
with real-world experience to help launch them into great careers
in the defense industry and other STEM fields,” said Godwin E.
Mbamalu Ph.D., FAIC, Associate Vice President for Research at
Benedict College, and Distinguished Professor.
“Autonomous vehicles are no longer science fiction. They are on
the road, in the air, and in the sea, impacting our lives today.
While they have the potential to benefit society greatly, hackers
are increasingly targeting them, and we need to invest in ensuring
they are safe and secure against cyberattacks,” said Duke Hartman,
CEO of Integer Technologies. “The research Benedict College has
done in securing automotive vehicles against cyberattacks was
excellent and applying that expertise to the maritime domain was a
natural progression. This project will improve South Carolina’s
competitiveness in this emerging industry, both in terms of
academic research and workforce development at Benedict College,
and in terms of technology development and commercialization at
Integer Technologies.”
“Providing South Carolinians with opportunities to thrive and
succeed, especially those in rural and underserved communities, has
always been my priority,” said Congressman James E. Clyburn
(SC-06). “Academic-industry partnerships like this help grow South
Carolina’s STEM workforce and build our technology infrastructure.
This project will equip our aspiring STEM workers with valuable
experience and put them at the forefront of technological research
and innovation.”
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About Benedict College
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict
College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution
offering 26 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two
master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from
all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26
countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty
deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service. Visit
www.benedict.edu to learn more.
About Integer Technologies
Integer is a science and technology company that protects
freedom by transforming innovative research into fieldable
technology for our national security customers. Visit
www.integer-tech.com for more information.
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Benedict Press Contact: Kymm Hunter Kymm.Hunter@Benedict.edu
(803) 705-4519
Integer Press Contact: Alex Henley
alex.henley@integer-tech.com