A $1.5 million investment by The Rapid7 Cybersecurity Foundation will fund the joint endeavor, providing hands-on learning opportunities to the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
As part of a shared mission to create a safer digital world, Rapid7, Inc., a leader in cloud risk and threat detection, is partnering with the University of South Florida (USF) to create a cyber threat intelligence laboratory that will support interdisciplinary research efforts by faculty experts and students from four colleges and myriad disciplines.
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The Rapid7 Cyber Threat Intelligence Lab at USF is funded by a $1.5 million investment from the Boston-based company’s charitable arm, The Rapid7 Cybersecurity Foundation. This joint endeavor will catalyze new collaborative research efforts in cyber threat detection and support an inclusive approach to diverse talent development in cybersecurity. It will also provide USF students the opportunity for hands-on learning and cybersecurity skills development as well as real-world experience tracking global threat actors.
“Rapid7’s investment in the University of South Florida will empower our faculty experts to advance new solutions and provide even more hands-on learning opportunities to our students as they prepare for careers in this high-demand field,” said USF President Rhea Law. “The need for enhanced cybersecurity and safety is imperative on a local, national and global scale, and we are incredibly grateful to Rapid7 for their continued partnership and support.”
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“As the cybersecurity industry continues to face a growing global skills shortage, fostering and educating the next generation of cyber leaders has never been more important,” said Corey Thomas, chairman and CEO of Rapid7. “USF has done an incredible job attracting and cultivating a rich pool of diverse and emerging talent in both faculty and students. President Law and her team have been outstanding partners in this endeavor and I look forward to sharing all of the progress this project makes towards cybersecurity education and accessibility.”
The lab will launch by establishing an interdisciplinary faculty leadership foundation with a new directorship in the USF College of Engineering and endowed faculty positions created in four USF colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Behavioral and Community Science, College of Engineering, and the Muma College of Business. The lab will also work closely with the State of Florida’s Cyber Florida initiative, based at USF.
“The collaboration with Rapid7 reinforces our College of Engineering commitment to advancing cybersecurity research and education by providing our faculty and students with invaluable access to real-world data and challenges,” said College of Engineering Dean Robert Bishop. “This use-inspired approach benefits both the industry and our students, as they are trained on practical, relevant issues that are difficult to replicate in academic settings. It solidifies our position as a leader in this critical field.”
“Rapid7’s investment in USF is not only incredibly generous, but also timely in light of the need for ever better cybersecurity tools and strategies,” said USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman. “I am grateful to Corey and his team at Rapid7 for this gift and all of the benefits that will come for our students, our USF community, and all of us who live, work and play in the digital world.”
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