The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded FIU a $1 million grant to train policy scientists in cyberinfrastructure to help meet the demand for professionals with an in-depth understanding of the latest technologies.
“This is a great collaboration that melds science, technology and public policy,” said Howard Frank, director of the Jorge M. Pérez Metropolitan Center, which will house the training program. “It combines the technological side of cybersecurity with the human and organizational side of the enterprise, through public policy and administration.”
This award will jumpstart a new era of public policy practice and research, according to the grant’s lead investigator, Sukumar Ganapati, from FIU’s Department of Public Policy & Administration. The grant will enable the creation of day-long training workshops for local government policy makers and professionals, and also local nonprofits. It will also create a policy informatics certificate for Master of Public Administration (MPA) students through the Department of Public Policy & Administration, within the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs.
Policy informatics pertains to the study of how computation and communications technology leverages information to better understand and address complex policy problems. The tools mainly covered by the grant include machine learning, data analytics, Internet of Things and cybersecurity.
“As cybersecurity and data analytics are now spanning various domains, FIU’s College of Engineering & Computing is making additional efforts to collaborate with other colleges at FIU to bring its expertise in these areas to faculty from other disciplines,” said Kemal Akkaya, professor for the School of Electrical, Computer and Enterprise Engineering and director of research for Cybersecurity Emerging Preeminent Program.
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