Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science (COES) has received $612,000 from the U.S. Department of War (DoW) to support cybersecurity scholarships and expand training capabilities, giving students greater access to careers protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure.
The award includes approximately $463,000 for Cyber Service Academy scholarships and $149,000 for capacity building involving artificial intelligence and security operations training. Led by Dr. Brad Glisson, professor of Computer Science, the effort builds on Louisiana Tech’s nationally recognized cybersecurity education and research programs.
The funding supports eight students with scholarships and stipends through the Cyber Service Academy. The competitive program connects cybersecurity education with the Department of War’s civilian cyber workforce, helping students pursue their degrees while preparing for federal service.
“Students choosing where to study cybersecurity should be able to see a clear connection between their education and the work they hope to do,” said Dr. Collin Wick, dean of the COES. “This award will help more students afford their degrees, apply their skills to real security challenges before they graduate, and secure better job placement after graduation.”
Louisiana Tech’s on-campus Student Security Operations Center gives students experience supporting the university’s cybersecurity mission alongside IT security professionals and industry partners. Students can analyze security alerts, investigate potential threats, and assist with incident triage under professional supervision. The center also offers workshops, training, and support for professional certifications.
Tech’s Cybersecurity Applied Innovation Laboratory (CyAIL) pairs students and faculty with industry partners to conduct research in areas including digital forensics, malware analysis, and applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The lab also supports Tech’s collegiate cyber defense competition team, helping students apply their skills to simulated cybersecurity challenges in a competitive setting.
The award’s capacity-building component supports work involving artificial intelligence and security operations training, extending the University’s investment in applied cybersecurity education.
“Students can learn a security concept from a textbook. What they can’t learn there
is what to do when an alert fires on a live system and they have to decide whether
it’s real,” Glisson said. “That judgment comes from working next to professionals
who make those calls every day. The scholarship and the federal service pathway mean
students graduate having already done the job, not just studied it.”
Louisiana Tech established the nation’s first cyber engineering program in 2012, and
its computer science program is the University’s third largest by student enrollment.
The University holds National Security Agency (NSA) designations as a National Center
of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Cyber Research, reflecting its
broader commitment to cybersecurity teaching and scholarship. Tech students can further
develop their professional qualifications through professional credentials such as
CompTIA Network+ and Security+.
Learn more about Louisiana Tech’s Cyber Engineering Program, Computer Science Program, and Student Security Operations Center.