What happened
Louisiana State University’s Cybersecurity Clinic received a $1 million grant from Google.org aimed at expanding its cybersecurity training, certification, and service reach over the next six years. The funding will support hands‑on cybersecurity education for more than 200 students while providing free services to a broad set of organizations in Louisiana, including those in critical infrastructure sectors like chemical, petroleum, agriculture, water, and logistics.
Who is affected
The grant directly benefits students involved with the LSU Cybersecurity Clinic, including trainees and future cybersecurity professionals, as well as hundreds of Louisiana companies and organizations that will receive free assessments and security services. LSU faculty and clinic leaders such as Aisha Ali‑Gombe (Clinic Director and Associate Professor) and student team members like Tyler Saizan, Micah Champagne, and others will play central roles in deploying the expanded capabilities.
Why CISOs should care
- Talent pipeline: This investment strengthens real‑world cybersecurity training, producing workforce talent familiar with offensive (red team), defensive (blue team), and governance risk and compliance (green team) practices, skills that CISOs urgently need.
- Small & critical infrastructure support: Many smaller organizations and infrastructure operators lack mature security programs; the clinic’s expanded services help raise the baseline defense posture regionally.
- Public‑private collaboration model: The grant illustrates how partnerships between tech companies and academia can fill gaps in cybersecurity education and operational support at scale.
3 Practical Actions for CISOs
- Engage with academy‑led clinics: Partner with or sponsor local university cybersecurity clinics to augment threat detection and mitigation capabilities while mentoring emerging talent.
- Leverage trained graduates: Prioritize recruiting from programs like LSU’s clinic where students have structured, real‑world experience across offensive, defensive, and risk‑focused domains.
- Support public‑private initiatives: Advocate for or co‑sponsor similar funding and training initiatives in your region to strengthen the broader cybersecurity ecosystem and reduce systemic risk.