Baylor Launches Cybersecurity Research and Training Hub

The Central Texas Cyber Range (CTCR), a $3.5 million partnership between Baylor University and McLennan Community College (MCC), launched this fall to provide comprehensive research in cybersecurity and cyber resilience and training to address critical workforce needs in cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field whose impact ranges from critical national security infrastructure to the personal accounts of anyone who conducts business online. With that growth comes dramatic opportunity that the CTCR is designed to address: a spring Forbes article estimated more than 700,000 open cybersecurity jobs in the United States, with approximately 82,000 of those located in Texas. Baylor’s efforts were bolstered by support from Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17), who championed funding from the U.S. Department of Education for the project.

The CTCR will engage in high-level cybersecurity research, along with training and education aimed at every age level, from local schools to continuing education. The collaboration between the two schools yields flexible options for future students as well. A new joint degree program between Baylor and MCC will provide students with the option to begin their education at MCC and complete it at Baylor or spend the entirety of their collegiate education at Baylor, depending on their individual needs.

CTCR is housed in a 3,000-square-foot laboratory outfitted with the latest technology and designed for future expansion in the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC).

“It takes agility to build a platform like this, and Baylor’s agility through the ability to work with other academic institutions, government and industry partners is demonstrated here,” said Shaun Hutton, B.S. ’05, clinical associate professor of computer science at Baylor and CTCR executive director. “Everyone has been incredibly supportive in working together to expand training and education offerings that will support our current and future workforce and be an economic driver in Central Texas and beyond.”