$1 million is a big win for anyone whether it be from a lottery ticket or from a grant program. In this case, it’s a grant program and the winner is the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Cybersecurity Lab.
The grant in question is a Development Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engines) program. NSF Engines is a new initiative, and USC Beaufort is one of the first 40 grant winners. The program is designed to create “flourishing regional innovation ecosystems across the U.S.” with the purpose of spurring research and development into critical cybersecurity issues. Key areas of focus include semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. The grant program will provide up to ten years of funding to establish the NSF Engine at USC Beaufort
This win was a large scale effort led by USC Beaufort and involved twelve partners from across the academic and industrial landscape of South Carolina including the South Coast Cyber Center, Technical College of the Lowcountry and other organizations frequently mentioned by this blog. USC Beaufort, as the lead partner, will be the physical home of the future NSF Engine which will be called the South Coast Regional Innovation Engine.
The focus of the engine will be a topic that the South Carolina Lowcountry is uniquely suited to explore: maritime cybersecurity and “the interdependencies, vulnerabilities and risks in the maritime transportation ecosystem”. According to the announcement by USC Beaufort, the ultimate goal of the project is to swing for the fences by creating “a world class Innovation Engine for maritime cybersecurity education, research, experimentation, investment and commercialization of products with regional and national impact”.
This effort presents a near-limitless opportunity for the Beaufort area. Cybersecurity needs are only increasing in the modern age and maritime cyber topics such as geospatial navigation and data security are critical components which often go overlooked in discussions on the national stage. Additionally, the South Carolina Lowcountry seemingly has all the ingredients necessary for long-term maritime cybersecurity infrastructure. Numerous institutions of higher learning are already partners in the program as mentioned above. The port of Charleston is a major hub of maritime traffic both nationally and worldwide, ranking 6th in the United States by cargo value in 2020 and expansions planned for the near future. And the Lowcountry has numerous, significant military assets including MCAS Beaufort. While these military installations are not listed partners of the effort, it is undoubtedly a major consideration that any academic or industry-driven actions in maritime cybersecurity will benefit from future partnerships with local Department of Defense entities.
We at the MEC congratulate USC Beaufort and the partnership which has created the South Coast Regional Innovation Engine! It’s safe to say the future of the cybersecurity industry in the Lowcountry is bright and we look forward to seeing this project benefit the entire region.
