Michael Haney chooses his words carefully when he talks about his work, to avoid sparking panic. But his passion for his job stems from the vulnerability of our communities to cyber-attacks. âWeâre in a cyber war, and itâs getting serious,â Haney says. âThere is community training that needs to happen, and weâre trying to develop the best curriculum and find the best way to distribute it widely. We need to do more to train Idahoans in how to respond and how to be aware of cyber-attacks.â Itâs Cybersecurity Awareness Month, meaning itâs a good time for each of us to review our online activity, update passwords and educate ourselves. But for Haney and his colleagues at U of I, cybersecurity is a constant battle. The Presidentâs Leadership Council (PLC) â a group of eight leaders from Idahoâs colleges and universities tackling issues of statewide importance â is taking on cybersecurity as a priority. Plans are underway for a PhD program at the U of I to accompany the bachelorâs and masterâs programs. Haney is also leading a group of faculty and staff from Idaho universities and community colleges that is working to develop tracks for students to gain cybersecurity education in a coordinated, efficient manner. âThere has been a tradition of competition between the Idaho schools, but I think weâre developing a good model for cooperative education across all our campuses,â said Haney, who is based at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in Idaho Falls. âWeâre sharing resources and collaborating. Faculty members are going after grants that they wouldnât have a few years ago. Itâs new, and weâre shaking out the kinks, but everyone sees the benefit of working together.â Partnerships between Idahoâs higher ed institutions, private industry and government are also bearing fruit. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is sharing its new supercomputer and other cyber space with faculty and students. Researchers and students benefit from the machineâs substantial capabilities to tackle complex problems, and INL benefits by developing a strong workforce. The need for qualified cybersecurity professionals is growing rapidly. Earlier this year Cyber Seek reported the U.S. had nearly 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions, and the field continues to grow. The U of I is up to the challenge. The burgeoning partnerships and programs are great foundations for what has become the top priority for the Presidentâs Leadership Council. âThe PLCâs vision is for the state of Idaho to become the premier educator in cybersecurity,â Haney said. âLast year was our crawl year, this year is our walk year, and next year is our run year.â |