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| Benedict College and Integer Technologies Secure £6.1 Million Contract to Enhance Cyber Resilience and Diversify Defense Workforce Image credit: Benedict College |
Benedict College and Integer Technologies have been awarded a £6.1 million contract by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Columbia, USA, to boost cyber resilience for autonomous systems and strengthen the defense research workforce. This program, named "Resilient Autonomous Systems and Workforce Diversity," consists of two main components.
The first component focuses on researching automated cyber-physical security to enhance the resilience of intelligent autonomous systems (IAS) against cyberattacks. Duke Hartman, CEO of Integer Technologies, emphasized the importance of securing autonomous vehicles, stating, "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."
The second component aims to improve Benedict College's STEM curriculum and defense research capabilities, thereby developing a highly skilled technical workforce to meet the specialized needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Dr. Thomas C. Fu, head of ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, highlighted the dual benefits of the program: "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. 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."
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play a critical role in producing STEM graduates, many of whom are U.S. citizens, a key requirement for DoD projects. The contract will also fund the creation of a master's degree program in computer science and engineering at Benedict College, marking the first graduate engineering degree of its kind at an HBCU in South Carolina, USA. This program aims to provide students with advanced educational opportunities in contemporary engineering fields.
Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO of Benedict College, expressed the significance of the college’s strategic investments in STEM: "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."
Godwin E. Mbamalu, Associate Vice President for Research at Benedict College, underscored the program’s role in providing real-world training: "This program will enable Benedict College to increase our research capacity by recruiting highly skilled faculty for research and teaching in contemporary engineering disciplines. It will provide our students with real-world experience to help launch them into great careers in the defense industry and other STEM fields."
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