WASHINGTON — Texas A&M University has been awarded a federal grant of nearly $2 million to bolster artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity workforce development, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) announced.
The $1,997,970 grant, funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation, aims to equip professionals with the necessary skills to protect critical technology systems and defend against an increasing number of cyberattacks from foreign adversaries.
“We must take steps to defend against cyberattacks by training students with the AI and cybersecurity skills needed to protect our critical technology systems,” Sen. Cornyn said in a statement. “This grant will help Texas grow the ranks of cyber professionals by funding specialized training at universities across the nation, including at some of Texas’ top academic institutions.”
The funding is part of the CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program, originally established by the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014. The program was later amended by the National Defense Authorization Acts for 2018 and 2021, and recently expanded to include AI workforce development under the Cornyn-negotiated CHIPS and Science Act.
According to officials, the grant will support three primary objectives:
- Specialized Training: Provide resources to train students in the high-demand fields of AI and cybersecurity.
- Government Placement: Support student placement and retention in cybersecurity and AI-focused roles within government organizations.
- National Security: Advance research in the CyberAI field to better protect U.S. national security.
Sen. Cornyn, who helped negotiate the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act that made this funding possible, said he looks forward to the advancements in cybersecurity and AI that the grant will support.
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