FDU Faculty to Lead NSA-Funded NCAE-C Initiative Bringing AI and Cybersecurity Education to K–12 Students and Teachers
New curriculum, summer camps, and teacher training will build a pipeline of future AI and cybersecurity talent across New Jersey
August 24, 2026 — Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) has been awarded $490,938 from the National Security Agency (NSA) to launch Establishing a Cyber AI K-12 Curriculum: AI Literacy, AI in Cybersecurity, and Long-Term Workforce Development, a two-year project designed to bring artificial intelligence and cybersecurity education into K–12 classrooms across New Jersey. This grant in the area of cybersecurity education was awarded based on a solicitation by the NSA/NCAE-C PMO for the universities designated under the National Centers of Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C).
The project, which begins in August 2026, is led by Dr. Yaoqing Liu and Dr. Erdal Kose of FDU’s Department of Computer Science and Mathematics in the Olsen College of Engineering and Science at the Metropolitan Campus. It builds on the University’s growing leadership in AI and cybersecurity education and workforce development. The initial award covers the first two years of the project, with the potential for an additional $244,015 in third-year funding, subject to continuation approval.
FDU will partner with Dwight Morrow High School/Academies@Englewood in Englewood, New Jersey, and the Freehold Regional High School District in Monmouth County to develop and pilot the curriculum.
A 20-Module Curriculum
At the center of the project is a 20-module curriculum that introduces students to foundational AI concepts alongside the growing role of AI in cybersecurity. The goal is not only to familiarize students with emerging technologies, but to prepare them for academic and career paths in fields increasingly shaped by AI and cybersecurity.
Reaching Beyond the Classroom
The initiative extends well past coursework. Planned programming includes:
- Cyber AI summer camps for students
- Professional development workshops for K–12 teachers
- Family engagement nights to build community awareness of AI and cybersecurity
By engaging students, educators, and families together, the project aims to create a sustainable, long-term pathway for developing the next generation of AI and cybersecurity talent.
A National Resource
Curriculum materials and instructional resources developed through the project will be shared nationally via the NCAE-C CLARK repository, giving educators across the country access to FDU’s work and extending the University’s influence in AI and cybersecurity education well beyond New Jersey.
The award builds on more than a decade of recognition from the NSA. FDU has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NCAE-CD) since 2013, a distinction that has led to multiple NSA and Department of War grant awards supporting laboratory and curriculum development at the University.
In 2017, FDU received a $300,000 grant to develop hands-on laboratory experiments in the fields of big data analytics and internet-of-things (IoT), through a project titled “Developing Hands-on Exercises for Secure Embedded System Design & Security Data Analytics for Computing and Engineering Students.” The curriculum developed from the project was later uploaded on the CAE CLARK repository for the benefit of CAE institutions nationwide. FDU was also awarded a $150,000 capacity building grant for “Developing Hands-on Laboratories for Secure Embedded Systems and Applying Machine Learning to Mitigate & Thwart DDoS Attacks.”
Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), serving as the principal institution for the NSA/CAE Education Pathway National Center (EPNC), selected FDU as an Education Pathway Institution (EPI) for 2022–2024, awarding the University $250,000. As a sub-awardee, FDU worked with partner K–12 schools to encourage students and teachers to pursue the RING curriculum and develop cybersecurity skills.
As part of the initiative, FDU hosted a symposium and workshop highlighting the RING curriculum and engaging high school students in cybersecurity education. New Jersey state officials participated in the Fall 2023 symposium, delivering keynote presentations on the state of cybersecurity education and workforce development in New Jersey.
This new award builds on FDU’s longstanding commitment to research, education and outreach within the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE) community. It will further expand these efforts by making cybersecurity course modules freely available to K–12 educators and students, helping broaden access to cybersecurity education and prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.