Congressman Matt Gaetz Issues Statement Following Cybersecurity Centers of Academic Excellence Grant Showcase Featuring UWF
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) issued the following statement after attending the Cybersecurity Centers of Academic Excellence Grant Showcase featuring University of West Florida (UWF) on Capitol Hill earlier today:
"I am continually impressed by the good work of UWF's Center for Cybersecurity, which was on full display at the Cybersecurity Centers of Academic Excellence Grant Showcase today. The University of West Florida has been named a "Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education" by the NSA, and has been designated as the NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence Regional Resource Center for the Southeast.
The UWF Center for Cybersecurity is training America's next generation of cybersecurity leaders. From protecting America's most sensitive information to ensuring the seamless functionality of e-commerce platforms, cybersecurity experts play a critical role in America's high-tech information economy. With highly-skilled foreign adversaries like Russia and China constantly attempting to penetrate America's data systems, cybersecurity has never been more crucial to national security.
Dr. El-Sheikh, director of UWF's Center for Cybersecurity, is doing wonderful work at UWF. The students who graduate from these extremely valuable programs will help America, now and into the future.
The Department of Defense, recognizing the threat of cyber-warfare, recently elevated Cybercom to a unified combatant command. Cyber-warfare poses a real danger to America — but schools like UWF's Center for Cybersecurity show that we can and will overcome any cyber-threats we face," Rep. Gaetz said.
(Rep. Gaetz Attending the Cybersecurity Centers of Academic Excellence Grant Showcase on Capitol Hill – January 10, 2019)