KU Engineering Establishes Virtual Institute to Combat Cyber Threats
A new virtual institute established at the University of Kansas School of Engineering will train the next generation of military and civilian leaders to better combat the growing threat of cyberattacks and protect the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS).
KU received a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense to establish the program, known as the Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Spectrum Research and Employ, or VICEROY, Virtual Institute. The grant is overseen by the Griffiss Institute, which is a nonprofit talent and technology accelerator for the Department of Defense and an international network of academic, government and industry partners.
Fengjun Li, KU professor of electrical engineering & computer science and lead researcher for the VICEROY Virtual Institute, said the complexity and diversity of modern communication systems — such as 5G and 6G networks — as well as artificial intelligence and electronic warfare systems present daunting challenges in protecting networks from cyberattacks.