In December 2024, UCCS was designated as a National Security Agency (NSA) National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) for the Ph.D. Cybersecurity program through 2029. UCCS is the first institution of higher learning in the state of Colorado to receive this designation.
The designation application effort was led by cybersecurity researcher, Shouhuai Xu, Ph.D., of the Computer Science Department. Xu said “This is a significant accomplishment that puts UCCS cybersecurity research on the national map. I want to thank my colleagues for their excellent research that made this happen.”
UCCS is already a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), which is given to academic institutions offering cybersecurity degrees, based on the rigor of the program, with the purpose of creating a competent national cybersecurity workforce. There are fifteen CAE-CD designations in the state.
According to the CAE-R designation, “the purpose of the CAE-R Designation program is to support and further build the cadre of experts to address new challenges resulting from the onslaught of ever-evolving cyberattacks, as well as to allow the United States (U.S.) government to engage CAE-R experts to solve the most challenging cybersecurity problems confronting our nation.”
The CAE-R program looks at multiple areas to assess eligibility, including doctoral (Ph.D.) research focus in cybersecurity, faculty engaged in cybersecurity with results in peer-reviewed research products by faculty and students, and external research funds in cybersecurity.
Shouhuai Xu is a professor of cybersecurity in the UCCS Computer Science Department, the Gallogly Chair in Cybersecurity, and Founding Director of the Laboratory for Cybersecurity Dynamics. Xu conducts cybersecurity research with undergraduate and graduate students at the UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science and fosters regional collaborations for cybersecurity activities. He holds multiple federal research grants and has been instrumental in the continued development of UCCS as cybersecurity center in the state of Colorado and the region.
About Cybersecurity at UCCS
UCCS is a recognized cybersecurity education leader in the region, awarding hundreds of degrees each year in cybersecurity fields at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. UCCS cybersecurity programs train security professionals who work to ensure the nation’s security, support faculty research and strategic cybersecurity partnerships with industry, government, military and academic institutions, including the U.S. Space Force and the National Cybersecurity Center. Due to generous Colorado state funding of cybersecurity education, UCCS students are eligible for significant financial aid towards security degree scholarships. Learn more about Cybersecurity Programs at UCCS.
About the UCCS College of Engineering and Applied Science
The College of Engineering and Applied Science enrolls more than 1,700 students and offers 24 engineering and computer science degrees, ranging from bachelor to doctoral. The college is a Department of Homeland Security / National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and works closely with the National Cybersecurity Center and with more than 250 aerospace and defense, information technology, cybersecurity and engineering organizations in the Pikes Peak region. Learn more about the College of Engineering and Applied Science at UCCS.