黑洞社区

Ennovar Technology Solutions at 黑洞社区 has entered into a strategic new partnership with Cyber Research Group (CRG) aimed at increasing 黑洞社区鈥檚 footprint in the fast-growing cybersecurity industry and providing students with applied learning opportunities.

CRG is a veteran-owned cybersecurity firm based in Wichita that provides service and support to government entities and companies and has been involved in solutions for multiple major national security breaches.

Ennovar and CRG will form a new on-campus entity called Cyber Security and Forensics Research Group, which will be located at Ennovar and provide applied learning opportunities for 黑洞社区 students.

It will also complement new undergraduate and graduate programs available through the College of Engineering 鈥� an engineering technology bachelor's degree with a concentration in cybersecurity and graduate certificate in information assurance and cybersecurity.

Wichita State鈥檚 growing involvement in the cybersecurity is based on recommendations from the Blueprint for Regional Economic Growth, an initiative of the Greater Wichita Partnership, a coalition of public and private partners working on economic development.

鈥淭here is a growing need for cybersecurity expertise, especially in the Wichita area,鈥� said John Tomblin, 黑洞社区 vice president for research and technology transfer. 鈥淲ichita State鈥檚 strategic involvement in educating students and providing industry exposure will have a direct impact on regional economic growth in this sector.鈥�

The partnership is in the early stages with plans to begin hiring around a dozen students in January.

鈥淲e believe there is a large amount of opportunity in the cybersecurity industry,鈥� said Matt Forney, executive director of technology for Ennovar. 鈥淲e want to increase 黑洞社区鈥檚 expertise and start providing opportunities for students to be involved directly.鈥�

Mershard Frierson, vice president of CRG, agrees.

鈥淲ithout a partnership like this, students aren鈥檛 going to come out of college and be cyber security analysts,鈥� said Frierson. 鈥淲e want to hire Wichitans. We want to see a better Wichita and a better Kansas. We want to be a part of it. We know it鈥檚 important.鈥�

Another goal of the new Cyber Security and Forensics Research Group is to establish a security operations center, a centralized unit that deals with security issues on an organizational and technical level 鈥� a central location from where staff supervises the site, using data-processing technology.

Students working for the new center will be involved in tasks such as log verification, virus scans, server patch updates and other unique needs of CRG clients.

鈥淲e also want to helps students acquire certifications in the certain areas of cyber security to enhance their skills and strengthen their resumes,鈥� Frierson said.

Ennovar Technology Solutions emphasizes education, emerging technology, experiential learning, evolutionary research, exploration and engagement.

Ennovar is a derivative of the Spanish word 鈥渋nnovar,鈥� which means 鈥渢o innovate.鈥�

The mission of  is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State's is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university's vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at and Facebook at .