Sen. Inhofe Secures $2.5 Million Appropriation for TU's Information Security Institute

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Congress has approved a $2.5 million appropriation for funding The University of Tulsa’s Institute for Information Security (iSec).

The federal appropriation, the largest for the university in more than a decade, was included in the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 and the Defense Appropriations Act. The funding will be used to expand iSec’s research capabilities and create new research education and outreach initiatives to strengthen its leadership role in defending America’s cyberspace.

Sen. Jim Inhofe, who spearheaded the appropriation, said the funding is a tremendous victory for The University of Tulsa and the City of Tulsa.

“Part of iSec’s commitment is a dedicated effort to establish Tulsa as a hotbed for information security research and development,” Inhofe said. “By combining the strengths and talents of multiple academic departments across TU, iSec not only possesses the ability to look at all sides of a problem, but also to develop practical solutions.”

TU has developed itself as a leader in cyber security, which is becoming an increasingly important component to national security. This funding will allow TU to build on its existing expertise so that we can provide the training and infrastructure needed to assist national efforts to secure important computer networks and critical data.

In 2007, TU launched iSec to leverage its leading expertise in information security on a national level. During the past decade, TU had established itself as one of the nation’s leading schools for the emerging field of information security research and education. iSec is working to further develop relationships with the government and make its capabilities available to the private sector.

David Greer, executive director of iSec, said the federal funding will allow TU to develop a hardware and software testing complex at TU for evaluating the security of information systems supporting national critical infrastructures.

This also will enable iSec to establish a training center dedicated to the delivery of security education and training targeting law enforcement, government employees and military personnel. An extension of this ambitious initiative will be the development and dissemination of security awareness programs at the K-12 level.

Additionally, iSec will commit resources to spurring innovation and encouraging technology commercialization in Tulsa and the region. iSec is planning to become a lead partner and anchor tenant in the Oklahoma Innovation Institute.

Working with the Oklahoma Innovation Institute and Tulsa Research Partners, iSec will cultivate collaborative research efforts that involve not only Oklahoma’s research universities but also its high tech industries. By leveraging the individual strengths of its partners and utilizing shared resources, iSec will help create new opportunities for these growing high tech companies by providing access to facilities, resources, and researchers that they would otherwise not have.

In a concerted effort to catalyze innovation in the city of Tulsa, iSec also plans to take the lead in developing a regional cyber security technology commercialization hub. The hub will promote the incubation of local technology start-up companies, align academic, industry and government interests in commercialization, and create pathways to seed funding.

Advancing iSec will advance Oklahoma’s role in national security, specifically in the crucial area of cyber security.

“Here in Oklahoma, we can boast about having some of the greatest military installations in the nation,” Inhofe said. “We can also boast about having one of the greatest research universities in the nation, especially in the area of cyber and information security. Oklahoma and Tulsa should be proud of the role TU plays in the vital effort of defending our national security.”