Dr. Jia Di, Director of the Arkansas Security Research and Education Institute (ASCENT), spoke to the University of Arkansas chapter of the Arkansas Academy of Computing (AAoC) during their annual meeting on April 10, 2016. He introduced the ASCENT Institute to the members and fielded questions.
ASCENT, an institute housed in the College of Engineering, was established in January 2016. Its mission is to:
- Identify and solve modern security challenges in the ares of cyber, transportation, critical infrastructure, and food/water;
- Establish and grow partnerships with industry professionals to ensure that the security research retains significant and practical impacts;
- Develop and support educational initiatives that continuously evolve with state-of-the-art security issues and technologies in all thrust areas; and
- Serve as the Arkansas’ source for communication and awareness of security threats, solutions, and needs.
AAoC was formed to recognize the achievements of University of Arkansas Computer Science and Computer Engineering graduates and to provide continuing guidance and support to the CSCE Department of the University of Arkansas, and the needs of its students, while maintaining the integrity of the AAoC, upholding its principles, and contributing to its success.