UNO Launches Nebraska Cyber Matrix: Students Work With Local Firms to Combat Cyber Threats

On Nov. 12, the University of Nebraska at Omaha's (UNO) College of Information Science & Technology (IS&T) officially launched the Nebraska Cyber Matrix. Government officials, business leaders, UNO faculty and staff, students, and community members gathered for the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located in UNO's Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI), the Nebraska Cyber Matrix Lab, or as commonly referred to, Nebraska Matrix, is a state-of-the-art cybersecurity training facility dedicated to training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals and promoting cybersecurity literacy in Nebraska.

Matrix stands for Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Threat Response Initiative for Cybersecurity Excellence in Nebraska. The program was made possible as part of a $14 million grant from the Weitz Innovation Excellence Fund, created to support initiatives that address critical needs in Omaha and across Nebraska.

The program launches at a critical time. The demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals in the U.S. far exceeds the available talent pool, while cybersecurity attacks are increasing in both volume and sophistication as digital adoption and emerging technologies accelerate across all economic sectors.

The program addresses a critical need in both workforce development and cybersecurity defense, said Matt Hale, Ph.D., Nebraska Cyber Matrix Program Director, Director of the School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, and UNO associate professor of cybersecurity. "It's about students getting to learn by doing," Hale said. "It's about local companies having home-grown access to talent, and it's about building Nebraska's digital resilience together for the public good and for the career pathways it advances for students."

UNO is among the few institutions in the U.S. with National Security Agency designations as both a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and Cyber Operations (CAE-CO). The Nebraska Cyber Matrix will provide more hands-on learning opportunities to complement the academic rigor of its cybersecurity programs.

UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, stated that the Nebraska Cyber Matrix further expands UNO's mission to ensure all students are gainfully employed upon graduation. The program's focus on real-world experience and industry partnerships demonstrates this commitment in action.

An inaugural cohort of UNO students and industry partners have been collaborating on pilot projects prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, working with real-world data and threats that local businesses are currently facing.

Jack Misbach, a UNO sophomore cybersecurity major and member of the inaugural cohort of students, has seen immediate career benefits. "All of the skills gained are exactly what employers are looking for," he said. During recent job interviews, employers emphasized his experience in the Nebraska Cyber Matrix makes him ready to impact their teams from day one. He's particularly grateful for the modern technologies and resources available in the program and expressed excitement about future cohorts gaining the same job-ready skills.

Sam Woolery, cybersecurity engineer at Trexcel Corporation, an Omaha-based cybersecurity company, has been working directly with the inaugural cohort of students in the program. Woolery says the collaboration has been great and that he has enjoyed being part of the pilot partnership. He is excited to continue working on projects with faculty and students in the program. "Students who enter the program as early as sophomore year will graduate with close to three years of real-world experience," Woolery noted—an advantage that will set them apart upon graduation.

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, the Nebraska Cyber Matrix is ultimately about people­­—protecting people's data and privacy, and training Nebraska's future workforce to combat serious threats.

"The work we begin here today is not only about cybersecurity," said Martha Garcia-Murillo, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Information Science & Technology. "It is about the future of learning, the evolution of protection, and the continuing story of how humanity meets each new challenge."

To learn more about the initiative, get engaged with the internship program, or explore other partnerships, visit nebraskamatrix.com