A new survey revealed that meeting basic infrastructure needs and increasing opportunities for workforce development were among the top priorities for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).
The research, conducted in December 2020 by the Minority Serving-Cyberinfrastructure Consortium (MS-CC) and non-profit organization Internet2, included responses from 291 cybersecurity professionals and administrative leaders from 144 minority-serving institutions.
With funding from the National Science Foundation and efforts from Clemson University, MS-CC was established in 2016 as part of an effort to advance cyberinfrastructure capabilities at minority-serving institutions.
“We are lucky to find ways now to solidify that organization and that consortium in a way that will build trust and give opportunities to minority serving institutions of all types that Clemson has been afforded to be able to advance their research goals,” said Bobby Clark, director of CCIT Procurement and Vendor Management at Clemson University.
Current participating institutions include Jackson State University, Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, North Carolina A&T University, Claflin University, Mississippi Valley State University, Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore, Bennett College, South Carolina State University, Dillard University and Tuskegee University.
“These minority serving entities are working together in the 21st century so that data and computing resources can be harnessed to advance separate and joint interests,” said Dr. Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, professor in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
The report indicated that the areas of science and engineering, workforce development, energy and environment, social science and culture were high priority associated with computing and data among the respondents. However, they found them difficult to attain.
