Indiana University Provides Cybersecurity Expertise to U.S. Navy

BLOOMINGTON, IN – The Indiana University Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research (CACR) recently announced that two researchers have been appointed temporary faculty members at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division.

Craig Jackson, CACR chief policy analyst, and Scott Russell, CACR senior policy analyst, will work with U.S. Navy leaders at Crane on cybersecurity research in support of U.S. Navy and U.S. Department of Defense systems.  

CACR has an established relationship with NSWC Crane to share cybersecurity expertise in the areas of information security and national defense. In July 2016, CACR and NSWC Crane entered into a two-year collaborative agreement to share personnel and expertise, and to collaboratively advance research and development in tackling cybersecurity challenges to our nation.

“Cybersecurity is a critical area of concern for national defense and economic security. IU is pleased to exchange personnel with Crane in furtherance of this important work,” says Brad Wheeler, IU vice president for information technology and CIO.

As CACR staff, Jackson and Russell have research interests that align well with Crane. Their expertise includes information security program development, governance, and evaluation, evidence-based security practice, risk management, legal and regulatory regimes’ impact on information security, and innovative control and process design.

“Our collaborative relationship with Indiana University continues to grow,” says Dr. Brett Seidle, NSWC Crane’s technical director. “The recent appointments of Mr. Jackson and Mr. Russell to NSWC Crane will bring invaluable expertise that will help us enhance our ability to address cybersecurity concerns within the DoD and ultimately support our service men and women.”

Jackson said, “Cybersecurity is a multidisciplinary field, and CACR has expertise in many areas related to cybersecurity — policy, law, process design, systems engineering and more. Our temporary faculty positions at Crane will allow us to really zero in on the issues affecting the U.S. Navy and national defense, and I’m excited to begin this important work.”

In addition to collaborating with the CACR researchers, Crane has affiliations with three other IU faculty members:

  • Lauren Christopher, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering (third year in program)
  • Mehmet Dalkilic, associate professor of informatics and computing, (first year in program)
  • Paul Salama, professor of electrical and computer engineering, assistant dean for graduate programs (fourth year in program)

CACR is a research center affiliated with the Indiana University Pervasive Technology Institute and a member of the Indiana University cybersecurity community, which includes the Maurer School of Law, the Kelley School of Business, the School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, REN-ISAC, the University Information Policy Office and the University Information Security Office.

NSWC Crane is the third-largest navy installation in the world, and one of Indiana’s largest high-tech employers with over 2,000 scientists, engineers and technicians. 

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2025 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is now accepting entries for the 2025 New Product Awards! The program’s goal is to honor the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products and services are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve K–12 and Higher Education learning environments.

  • Minnesota District Partners with Kraus-Anderson on Four Construction Projects

    Stillwater Area Schools in Lake Elmo, Minn., recently announced a partnership with Kraus-Anderson for construction projects at four schools in the district, according to a news release. The projects’ funding comes from a $175-million referendum passed in November 2023.

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

  • K12 Tutoring Earns Every Student Succeeds Act Level II Validation

    Personalized online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), according to a news release. The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring’s role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

Digital Edition