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Siddartha Shakya spent his summer interning with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and now he’s even more confident in the importance of balancing humans and machines.

911���� will soon offer a doctoral degree in cybersecurity engineering, a milestone reflecting the rapid evolution of the field and the continued growth of the university's Department of Cyber Security Engineering (CYSE).

The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) has awarded $975,000 to 13 cybersecurity innovation projects through its 2026 CATAPULT and ASCEND funds, continuing its investment in technologies and ideas with the potential to address critical cybersecurity challenges and create real-world impact.

Taylor Le, BS Information Technology ‘26, was participating in the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) internship at Mobius when he was put in contact with Brian Ngac, the assistant dean for centers and FedWriters, Inc., Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow at the Costello College of Business at 911����, who was helping to fund the program.

911����'s Anomadarshi Barua will present research on using AI and chaos theory to rebuild missing pieces of speech at one of the world’s leading conferences on natural language processing.

A cybersecurity major and long-distance runner, Simeon Omorodion found the same logic threading through both pursuits: structure, persistence, and a tolerance for discomfort that eventually becomes growth.

911����’s Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Northern Virginia (NoVa) Node recently received a $150,793 grant from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority for “CCI Scholars – High School Experiential Learning Program FY26,” a seven-week high school summer internship program for rising seniors and recent graduates of Northern Virginia public high schools.

They train, compete, and perform at the highest levels—only their arena is cybersecurity. Like top athletes, 911����’s cyber-focused students prove themselves when the pressure is on.

Knifey, a nature-inspired blimp based on the knifefish’s movement (with an added ferocious glare), is just one of junior Alexia De Costa’s projects combining art and robotics. “I love any way to get people interested in tech and also understand complicated things visually,” she says.

Guided by experts, students from 911���� and Howard University are delivering tailored cybersecurity solutions to the organizations that need them most—while shaping their own futures.