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 one of the more than 11,000 community colleges across the nation that serve a critical role in preparing the nation’s workforce. Brookdale has been teaching 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.

Two recent grants awarded to Brookdale Community College will provide more opportunities for students to acquire skills in cybersecurity and networking. One grant includes scholarships and stipends for four Brookdale students pursuing studies in cybersecurity and to collaborate with students at two other community colleges. With the second grant, the center will host a virtual lab environment for training and 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.