The University of Texas at San Antonio has received a federal research contract worth more than $18 million from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the university said on Thursday.
UTSA’s research and development will support the laboratory's national security technology concerns, including the areas of data sciences, cloud/edge computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity within 5G, and internet of things, according to a news release. Internet of things refers to the interconnection via the internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data.
These new technologies open up "possibilities for convergence research to tackle intractable problems,” Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA's vice president for research, economic development, and knowledge enterprise, said in a statement.
The contract will also allow for greater research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to solve some of the Air Force’s operational challenges, according to a release.
The university's National Security Collaboration Center will manage the research and contract under the leadership of its executive director Brig. Gen. (ret) Guy Walsh and John Huggins, the center's technology officer. Over the past two years, Walsh has led the UTSA's center's growth, which includes more than 60 federal, academic and industry partners.
In addition to the NSCC, other UTSA departments working on the project include the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security, Cyber Center for Security and Analytics, AI Matrix, Open Cloud Institute, Institute for Cybersecurity, and Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute, Walsh told the Business Journal in an emailed statement.
Locally, UTSA and the NSCC have established relationships with many facets of the Air Force and Department of Defense, including the 16th Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy.
UTSA has three Center of Excellence designations from the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which recognize schools that offer rigorous degree programs.
