Prestigious NSA recognition for Augusta University cyber security instruction

In March 2017, School of Computer and Cyber Sciences and Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences professor Dr. John “Jay” Heslen received a $284,434 grant as part of the National Security Agency’s CyberSecurity Core Curriculum Development program.

Heslen used the grant money to develop three courses: “Introduction to Strategic Cybersecurity,” “Cyber Conflict” and the “Global Cyber Threat Environment.”

Heslen’s three courses were among 10 selected in 2018 for inclusion in the NSA’s National Cybersecurity Curriculum Program, which aims to build a cyber-skilled workforce as a critical component of maintaining national security. Fifty-four universities from across the nation submitted courses under the grant, and all were subjected to an exacting peer review process.

In addition, Augusta University was designated as a “featured curriculum author” and this year was one of 10 institutions nationwide given an “excellent” evaluation from the NSA. Last year, Augusta University was one of five institutions out of the 54 grant recipients chosen to present their work at the 2017 NSA Core Curriculum Development Workshop.

“Jay has demonstrated his curriculum in various expos throughout the country to ensure widespread dissemination,” said Dr. Blair Taylor, Towson University professor and Subject Matter Expert with the NSA’s College of Cyber on the National Cybersecurity Curriculum Program. “Jay will join other cybersecurity educators at a workshop in January to build materials for the ‘Introduction to Strategic Cybersecurity’ course, which will be shared nationwide.”

A primary goal of the CyberSecurity Core Curriculum Development grant, which supports the president’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP), is to develop publicly available core cyber curricula and prepare graduates for future employment with the U.S. Government in the cybersecurity field.