Tucson Standard

Community and nonprofit organizations across Southern Arizona will soon have access to free cybersecurity services from the UArizona Cybersecurity Clinic, an initiative established by the University of Arizona College of Applied Science and Technology. The college, headquartered at the university's Sierra Vista campus, recently received $1 million from Google's Cybersecurity Clinics Fund to establish the clinic. This initiative will provide digital security services such as vulnerability assessments, security audits, compliance checks, and policy development.

"As cyber threats become more sophisticated, the need for comprehensive cybersecurity education and preparedness has never been more urgent," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "This clinic will be instrumental in advancing our community's understanding of cyber threats and help develop innovative solutions. This program reaffirms our commitment to producing highly skilled graduates who will be defenders in the digital age and exemplifies our commitment to community impact as Arizona's land-grant university."

UArizona joins 15 other higher education institutions launching clinics this year through a collaboration between Google and the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. This follows Google's 2023 support for 10 clinics as part of its commitment to launch 25 Google-supported cybersecurity clinics nationwide by 2025.

In addition to funding, the UArizona clinic will receive mentorship from Google employees, scholarships for the Google Career Certificate in Cybersecurity, and Google Titan Security Keys – USB devices that help prevent phishing attempts.

Nicol Rae, acting dean of the college, highlighted that establishing the cybersecurity clinic reinforces their status as a national leader in cybersecurity education. She recognized "our stellar cyber operations faculty," led by Paul Wagner, associate professor of practice and clinic director.

"I am very proud and excited that CAST (the College of Applied Science and Technology) will be the home of the University of Arizona's cybersecurity clinic funded by Google," Rae said. "At CAST, we take pride in providing programs that equip our students with robust skill sets, ensuring they can apply their knowledge immediately upon graduation."

As clinic director, Wagner looks forward to supporting community organizations with their cybersafety needs while providing students with experiential learning opportunities.

"I am excited to connect students with opportunities and real-world experiences," Wagner said. "The work we provide in the classroom is amazing but lacks realism. With this clinic, we are not only helping our students become better future employees – we're securing our communities."

Wagner and his colleagues are developing the structure for the UArizona clinic set to open in January with an initial six-year operation plan. They aim to start by working with local small businesses, hospitals, schools, and community groups in Pima County but expect eventually to connect with clients throughout Arizona.

While Wagner leads the clinic’s efforts, specially trained students who receive a Google-backed cybersecurity certification will primarily handle educating clients on cybersafety. Students will learn through training modules developed by the clinic to prepare speeches on cybersafety and assess client needs.

With such comprehensive training planned, Wagner emphasized that students from any academic background or experience level are welcome if they have a passion for cybersecurity.

"We are in a world where our safety is constantly at risk," Wagner said. "Attackers are no longer targeting just large businesses; organizations of any size are at risk. Our goal is to make sure that everybody we engage with is a little bit more aware and secure in their daily lives."