DarkMatter Group, a digital and cyber transformation firm, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology have announced the launch of US$1.5mn Cyber Security Research Award (CRA)
CRA is an award focused on generating ideas that will safeguard the world’s smart cities against the cybersecurity threats of tomorrow.
In conjunction with strategic partner, Khalifa University, DarkMatter Group is inviting university students, graduate research assistants, researchers, and faculty from both local and international institutions to present ideas that could potentially advance the field of cybersecurity in the era of smart and digital cities.
The announcement came during a media roundtable that was organised at the University in Abu Dhabi and was attended by top officials from DarkMatter and Khalifa University.
Shreekant Thakkar, chief scientist, Advanced Research of DarkMatter Group, said, “The sustainability of our smart city future depends on creative and robust cybersecurity infrastructure and solutions to combat rising threats within today’s digital landscape.”
“With the unveiling of the Cybersecurity Research Award, we are one step closer towards uncovering breakthrough solutions that will futureproof our connected, digitalised cities,” he added.
Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, executive vice-president, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, commented, “Cybersecurity has come to remain one of the essential factors for the technology-driven world, and the UAE and the region place significant emphasis on the safety and security of the digital resources.”
“As a research-intensive academic institution, we are also keen to share the expertise and knowledge with our collaboration partners, and we believe the CRA, a robust research award initiative, will set the foundation for a smarter, safer digital world,” he stated.
The pre-proposal stage of the CRA is currently open to applicants, with submissions closing on 30 August 2019. Selected applicants will then be invited to present their ideas to the CRA stakeholders and committee who will assess the impact of contestants’ presentations.
Following this, shortlisted teams will be invited to submit full proposals in February 2020. All awards will be selected by a rigorous, three-stage merit review process, and announced on May 2020.
To identify which projects to support, the CRA committee will rely on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute more broadly to the security of smart cities.
