The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Brookdale as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).

Brookdale Cyber Center

Cybersecurity threats are a growing national concern, and there is a shortage of skilled cybersecurity workers with the hands-on skills needed to excel in the field. Worldwide, cybersecurity professionals face rapidly-evolving threats that imperil every sector of public life and the economy. This is further accelerated by the emergence of consumer artificial intelligence (AI), smart homes, wearable devices, and autonomous vehicles. The parallel trend of increased connectivity of industrial control systems (ICS) linked to critical infrastructure (power plants, water treatment facilities, etc.) create new threats to national security and public safety.

Brookdale Community College is among the more than 11,000 community colleges nationwide that serve a critical role in preparing the nation’s workforce. Brookdale has taught networking courses since 2000 and introduced security into the program in 2003. A 2013 grant from the National Science Foundation enabled Brookdale to add courses in Computer Forensics, Network/Perimeter Security, and Ethical Hacking and develop an 18-credit certificate in cybersecurity. This certificate has also been integrated into the existing Networking program as a Cybersecurity track.

The center hosts a virtual lab environment for training and to support further course additions to the curriculum. The Brookdale Cyber Center is committed to addressing the shortage of skilled cybersecurity workers and to providing students with cutting-edge instruction and access to state-of-the-art hands-on experiences.

To learn more about the Brookdale Cyber Center, please contact:

Professor Mike Qaissaunee
Department Chair, Engineering & Technology, Brookdale Community College
Director, Brookdale Cyber Center
mqaissaunee@brookdalecc.edu 732-224-2879