Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, Virginia Tech develop international connections to counter global threats
Group photo: CCI and Belgium’s KU Leuven, one of the world’s top universities in cybersecurity, co-organized the U.S./European Cybersecurity Workshop, bringing together 60 cybersecurity experts from 35 academic, industry, and governmental organizations representing 10 countries.
As cybersecurity threats expand globally, the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) and Virginia Tech are building the foundation for an international arsenal to defend against cyberattacks and develop resilient and secure systems.
CCI and Belgium’s KU Leuven, one of the world’s top universities in cybersecurity, co-organized the U.S./European Cybersecurity Workshop, bringing together 60 cybersecurity experts from 35 academic, industry, and governmental organizations representing 10 countries.
The workshop in May was anything but typical, including starting with an unprecedented reception at the home of the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, said Luiz DaSilva, CCI executive director. “The reception set the tone for the high-level of interest in this two-day workshop and the impact we anticipate it having on the U.S. and European cybersecurity mission,” he said.
Tim Richardson, deputy chief of mission for the U.S. Mission to Brussels Embassy, said at the reception, “As you embark in these discussions and collaborations, let's remember the larger purpose that unites us. We're here to build a safer, more secure world for our citizens, our businesses, and our institutions. The work we do here has the potential to protect lives, preserve freedom, and promote prosperity.”
Virginia Tech Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke and Senior Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer Dan Sui participated in the event, along with representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, the European Cybersecurity Competence Center, London’s Imperial College, Virginia Commonwealth University, AT&T, Nokia Bell Labs, George Mason University, and others.
“Research on global cybersecurity, and in particular in the areas of connectivity security, Al cybersecurity, and embedded security, is a major area of investment in Virginia and in the U.S., and a domain in which collaboration with our partners in the EU is particularly important,” Clarke said at the workshop.
“Virginia Tech is well known in Virginia and the United States for its strong expertise in wireless communications and cybersecurity,” Sui said. “Threats of cybersecurity transcend national boundaries. By collaborating with our international counterparts, we believe Virginia Tech will expand its reputation and amplify the impacts of our research as a global leader in this critical sphere.”
The workshop focused on the themes of connectivity security, artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, and embedded security. It was specifically designed to inform participants about current and future research and most important, to create opportunities for collaboration, DaSilva said. Thomas Rondeau, principal director for FutureG at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Martina Castiglioni, programme officer at the European Cybersecurity Competence Center, both gave keynote presentations and actively participated in the discussions.
“We will be issuing a report with the main findings soon, and given the level of interaction, I have no doubt that significant U.S.-Europe collaborations will arise from this event,” DaSilva said.
