Prior to the launch of the Center for Research and Education Cybersecurity, cybersecurity was already part of SDSU’s computer science classes. Photo by Bryana Quintana/SDSU
San Diego State University has launched a Cybersecurity Center to enhance the university’s research and education efforts.
The Center for Cybersecurity for Research and Education (CCRE) will be managed by founding director Professor Rob Beverley. Beverly joined the university’s computer science department this fall after serving as a program director in the National Science Foundation’s Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure.
According to the SDSU NewsCenter, the center aims to “foster innovative research that addresses real-world cybersecurity issues” while expanding SDSU’s curriculum in digital forensics, reverse engineering, wireless security, and embedded systems security. It is said that
Protecting the security and efficiency of cyber systems has become critical, requiring a multidisciplinary workforce of experts in coding, engineering, ethics, and management.
Beverley called cybersecurity “a very rapidly changing field.”
“One of the things we really want to do to prepare our students for the workforce is not only give them the cutting-edge skills they need today, but also make sure they are ready for the workforce. “It’s about making them understand what it means to do research. This field evolves and changes,” he said.
And as it grows, it has a big impact. In San Diego alone, the cybersecurity industry employs 26,000 people and generates $4 billion annually for the economy.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for information security analysts is expected to grow 33% by 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual salary for this position in 2023 was $120,360.
There is also funding from companies to enhance training.
In June, SDSU, along with California State University San Marcos and other partners, received a $1 million grant and support from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinic Fund to establish the San Diego Cyber Clinic.
The funding comes from Google.org, the tech giant’s philanthropic arm, and is part of a $25 million collaboration with the Cybersecurity Clinic Consortium.
In the center’s first year, Beverly said he and his colleagues plan to enhance the center’s programs and earn certification as a National Security Agency-designated Center of Academic Excellence. This will open up more career and research funding avenues.
