Embry-Riddle has joined a national effort to build aviation and aerospace cybersecurity after being selected by the National Science Foundation to receive $3,875,000 that will be awarded in scholarships to students in cybersecurity programs over the next five years.

“Embry-Riddle has this unique capability in the safety-critical domain of aviation and aerospace cybersecurity,” says Dr. Radu Babiceanu, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and principal investigator on the project. “Our students have the opportunity to really make a significant difference in the cybersecurity of transportation, as well as of satellite data and radar systems.”

As home to the Center for Aerospace Resilience (CAR), “Embry-Riddle is well-positioned to advance national and state goals for minimizing cybersecurity risks to aviation and commercial space enterprise by building workforce capacity,” says President P. Barry Butler. “We are honored to be entrusted with this NSF grant, which will allow us to prepare future cybersecurity leaders.”

Twenty scholarship recipients — 16 undergraduates and four graduate students — will receive full tuition and fees to attend Embry-Riddle plus stipends for up to two years and will agree to work in cybersecurity for federal, state, local or tribal governments for the same duration as their scholarship support after graduation. The recipients will gain hands-on experience using state-of-the-art equipment in CAR facilities.