The UMW Center for Cybersecurity hosts a variety of cybersecurity-related activities and enhances coordination, promotes collaboration, and expands outreach. Current initiatives include:
- Participation in the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) offering numerous opportunities including internship programs and career fairs, faculty research and curriculum development grants, and student research and educational initiatives;
- Engagement in Regional Cybersecurity Activities including several regional cybersecurity events and partnerships that the center helps coordinate and expand, such as the NSWC Dahlgren Cyber Challenge, the annual Cyber Never Sleeps Summit, the FXBG Hackers community, and collaboration with the Cyber Bytes Foundation in Quantico;
- Recruitment and Outreach Programs including outreach and recruitment activities scaled through the center, such as an annual Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, with potential to be expanded to include regional high schools, and summer outreach initiatives (Summer Enrichment Program).
By consolidating and amplifying these efforts, the Center not only strengthens the College’s internal programs but also elevates its role as a regional leader in cybersecurity education and engagement. The Center is led by the Director of Cybersecurity, Dr. Xin-Wen Wu (xwu@umw.edu), who also oversees the cybersecurity academic program and is the primary liaison between UMW and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI). Dr. Wu, to ensure strategic guidance and external input to the center and to support the program’s CAE-CD designation application, is presently working on establishing a Cybersecurity Advisory Board. This board will consist of alumni and regional cybersecurity leaders who will provide feedback on curriculum development, program direction, and community engagement. The center leadership actively seeks to expand its network of affiliated faculty across campus with an interest in information security, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.