University of South Florida (Tampa)
PAE-24: Sustainability Policy Advocacy

"On November 20, 2013 STATE BOARD OF GOVERNORS Strategic Planning Committee ACTION for the creation of a Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida. Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2010 (HR 4061), which passed with unusually strong bipartisan support, authorized “hundreds of millions of dollars for cybersecurity research and education.” This appropriation included funding for the National Science Foundation “to increase the size and skills of the cybersecurity workforce” and aimed to increase “research and development, standards development and coordination, and public outreach” in cybersecurity. While two-thirds of the appropriation covered 2010-2014, another $320 million was designated for continued action after 2014. Future investments can evolve from the Florida Center for Cybersecurity which is ideal for USF. The University of South Florida is a top-tier global research university dedicated to student success. It is home to the USF Institute for Secure and Innovative Computing (40.1540), which has been preparing graduates to meet cybersecurity workforce needs for many years—with still booming demand. The campus is located in Tampa Bay, one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S, with a population of more than 4.3 million people. It’s at the western end of the I-4 High-Tech Corridor and near MacDill Air Force Base. Home to both U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the region is a hotbed for national defense operations as well as for healthcare, technology and financial services"