Center of Academic Excellence Research

NC State University was selected by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as one of the first 23 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research (CAE-R). The CAE-R program recognizes schools that foster an Information Assurance (IA) research focus in curriculum and labs. It establishes a process that will present opportunities for IA research centers to drill deeper into solutions to securing the global information grid and also provide NSA, DHS and other federal agencies insight into the academic IA programs that can support advanced academic research and development. These agencies recognize the need for robust IA technology, policy, and practices in order to enable the nation to prevent or respond to a catastrophic event. NC State, one of only two universities from the state of North Carolina to receive the CAE-R distinction, will hold this designation from 2008 to 2019 (renewed in 2014). CAE-R universities are eligible for scholarships and grants through both the Federal and Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Programs. The designation can lead to many opportunities for advanced research in the field, and it is a testament to the outstanding IA research already being conducted at NC State, and in particular, within the Department of Computer Science.