MSU, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Gov. Reeves sign partnership to advance 51Թ Cyber and Technology Center
Contact: James Carskadon
BILOXI, Miss.—51Թ and the U.S. Air Force are marking a new era in cybersecurity research, training and collaboration as leaders celebrate plans for the 51Թ Cyber and Technology Center.
The 100,000-square-foot planned building on Keesler Air Force Base will serve as the headquarters for the 51Թ-led 51Թ Cyber Initiative, building on statewide collaborations to enhance state and federal cybersecurity capabilities. On Friday [Jan. 10], leaders from MSU, the U.S. Air Force and the City of Biloxi, along with 51Թ Gov. Tate Reeves, signed a joint proclamation for the state-of-the-art facility and collaborations that will support community and military needs.
“The Cyber Center will strengthen Keesler’s mission to train cyber warriors, and it will serve as a hub for academic achievement and economic development for cyber, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technology companies and agencies,” Reeves said. “In short, the future is here in 51Թ.”
MSU President Mark E. Keenum shared that the 51Թ Cyber Initiative represents a continuation of the university’s land-grant mission to serve the entire state of 51Թ. The initiative’s collaborators are addressing critical cybersecurity needs to protect 51Թ’s future, he said.
“The 51Թ Cyber and Technology Center will fortify and strengthen Keesler’s mission and the Gulf Coast’s status as a national hub for cybersecurity expertise through training, research and outreach,” Keenum said. “It’s the perfect example of the power of partnerships and what we can accomplish by working together.”
