Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Carnegie Mellon University Wins National Cyber Analyst Challenge

  • 11/10/16

RESTON, VA – A cyber competition powered by Leidos and administered by Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) to fill the ever-growing need for cyber analysts has a winner. The team from Carnegie Mellon University was awarded $25,000 as the winner of the second National Cyber Analyst Challenge.

Developed to enhance the skills of the future workforce and inspire students to pursue careers in cyber security, the National Cyber Analyst Challenge focuses on developing strategic skills involving analysis and threat identification.

"Our nation and our very way of life is under constant attack in cyberspace," says Chris Kearns, senior vice president of enterprise and cyber solutions at Leidos. "These talented students demonstrated amazing skill to connect the dots in this real-world scenario to defend our critical digital infrastructure."

A panel of industry experts scored the team from Carnegie Mellon University highest in technical proficiency, judgment and communication. The three-month, multi-phased competition started with each team analyzing a cyber case. In the second phase, the teams received training from industry experts. The competition culminated in a real-time practical challenge with advanced cyber training held Oct. 27-28 at Leidos' headquarters in Reston, VA.

Teams from 10 universities (in alphabetical order) — Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Penn State University, Syracuse University, Temple University, University of Maryland, University of South Florida, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Villanova University — made it past Phase I in September. Each team received a significant award of $6,000-$12,000 to support student, faculty and curriculum development.

“It was gratifying to work with Leidos to create a student- and faculty-centric opportunity,” says Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, executive director of Temple's IBIT, who worked with Laurel Miller, IBIT director, to envision the competition. “The challenge and conference brought together the nation’s top cyber educational programs in management information systems, computer science, and engineering. Interdisciplinary engagement is the most effective way to solve the nation's cyber talent crisis because it can produce industry-relevant students and knowledge.

“The NCAC conference also provided a unique opportunities for meaningful dialogue between academic, industry, research and education experts," adds Mandviwalla, chair of the Management Information Systems department at Temple's Fox School of Business. "One outcome from the conference is the identification of a set of strategies to enhance cyber education and research through data centric collaboration between industry and academia."

For additional information, visit cyberanalystchallenge.org

About Leidos
Leidos is a global science and technology solutions leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil and health markets. The company's 33,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Featured

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.