Experiential Learning Funded Projects 2026

Abstract – The project is designed to prepare Virginia students for cybersecurity careers through the AI-native Cyber Experiential Learning (ACCEL) program, a multi-institution effort led by Old Dominion University (ODU) and Christopher Newport University (CNU). The program integrates AI-assisted cybersecurity workflows, hands-on cyber range exercises, and mentor-guided industry case studies to provide students with authentic experience aligned with modern cyber operations. Students will progress through structured modules in threat detection, incident triage, cyber defense analytics, secure workflow orchestration, and human-in-the-loop use of agentic AI, while working on realistic scenarios informed by employer needs. The technical framework combines controlled cyber range environments, explainable AI-enabled decision support, evidence-based assessment, and portfolio generation mapped to workforce-relevant cybersecurity competencies. ODU will lead technical platform development, cyber range integration, assessment design, and program coordination, while CNU will support student recruitment, technical mentoring, project coordination, and cross-institution participation. SimIS will serve as an employer partner by contributing mentorship, practical cybersecurity use cases, and workforce-facing engagement opportunities. ACCEL is designed to create a scalable regional pathway from classroom preparation to cyber workforce readiness, internships, and employment, while advancing CCI's mission at the intersection of cybersecurity, autonomy, and data.

Safdar Bouk, PI – research assistant professor, Center for Secure and Intelligent Critical Systems, Old Dominion University

Eranga Bandara, co-PI – research scientist, Center for Secure and Intelligent Critical Systems, Old Dominion University

Ayan Roy, co-PI – assistant professor, School of Engineering and Computing, Christopher Newport University

Warren Bizub, industry partner – chief technology officer, SimIS Inc.

Abstract – The project will prepare Virginia students for cybersecurity careers in operational environments through a multi-institution experiential learning and workforce development program in healthcare cybersecurity, a high-consequence critical infrastructure sector. Led by George Mason University in partnership with James Madison University, the program is supported by NewPush, a cybersecurity company providing access to security platforms and hands-on labs, and by the Center for Infrastructure Security in the Era of AI and its partner ecosystem. The program addresses urgent workforce needs at the intersection of cybersecurity and healthcare, where security failures can disrupt care, expose sensitive data, and create significant operational and patient-safety risks. The program, open to students from all CCI institutions, uses a phased participation model. In the first semester, approximately 100 students will participate in a four-part webinar series introducing healthcare cybersecurity, clinical risk, adversarial thinking, and AI-supported analysis. Through a competitive process, 30 students will advance to an intensive hands-on phase consisting of workshops, mentored team exercises, a healthcare-focused CyberAI hackathon, and an employer-facing showcase. Activities will focus on realistic scenarios involving medical devices, patient portals, and hospital systems, implemented in partnership with NewPush. Students will also work with practitioner mentors to configure these environments, analyze attack paths, and develop practical mitigations. Through the Institute for Digital Innovation, directed by co-principal investigator Massimiliano Albanese, and its partner ecosystem, the program will incorporate real-world use cases and enable direct interaction with potential employers. Expected outcomes include improved cybersecurity workforce readiness, reusable training materials, and measurable pathways to internships and employment.

Learn more: https://iseai.gmu.edu/cyberai-workforce-accelerator/

Sanchari Das, PI – assistant professor, Information Sciences and Technology, George Mason University

Massimiliano Albanese, co-PI – professor, Information Sciences and Technology, George Mason University

Adeen Ayub, co-PI – assistant professor, Computer Science, James Madison University

Abstract – Project plans call for expanding a student-veteran paired engineering program that places Virginia computer science students into defense-oriented software roles at N2O, a Charlottesville-based software firm. Four Cannons, drawn from Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, and additional CCI institutions, will work alongside veteran engineer mentors (“Cannoneers”) on real programs, including work for the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) and internal ontology programming. Every project gives Cannons immersive, security-first professional experience that classroom instruction cannot replicate. Virginia Tech, through the Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VTNSI), serves as the lead academic institution and transfer partner to the CDAO AI Accelerator. N2O is the sole employer and industry partner, contributing matching funds through Cannoneer mentorship hours, CCI Symposium travel, and above-threshold student wages. The program directly advances CCI's workforce development mission and Virginia's Top State for Talent agenda by retaining high-caliber cyber talent inside the Commonwealth, scaling across multiple CCI member universities, and building a replicable blueprint for sustained pipeline growth in Virginia's defense cyber ecosystem.

Laura Freeman, PI – deputy director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute, and research associate professor of statistics, Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech

Abstract – The Virginia Space Grant Consortium's "Cyber Ready: Experiential Workforce Development for Community College Learners" project connects Virginia community college students with paid, hands-on cybersecurity work at leading industry partners across the commonwealth. Through mentored, project-based learning, students gain real-world experience in cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence, secure systems, and emerging technologies while building the technical and professional skills employers seek. Beginning fall 2026, 10 students from Tidewater Community College and Danville Community College will work alongside cybersecurity professionals at AMA, SimIS, Noblis, RFK Solutions, and CTE Workforce. Participants receive technical training, career development support, industry mentoring, and networking opportunities, helping strengthen Virginia's cybersecurity workforce pipeline and prepare the next generation of cyber professionals.

Chris Carter, PI – director, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University Research Foundation

Jennifer L. Penland, co-PI – STEM Education Specialist, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University Research Foundation

Abstract – The project will connect undergraduate students from Christopher Newport University (CNU), William & Mary (W&M), and Old Dominion University (ODU) with prospective employers for cybersecurity training and career opportunities through the CyberBridge Fellows program, a multi-institution experiential learning initiative. In partnership with the Neptune Shield (NS) Foundation, a nonprofit cybersecurity and innovation organization based in Virginia Beach, the program provides students with hands-on exposure to cybersecurity operations, tools, and career preparation. The program operates in two phases over a 13-month performance period. In Phase 1, students participate in workshops, lab exercises, and cross-campus activities, including a skill swap session, a capture-the-flag competition, and a hackathon. Training topics span incident response, penetration testing, security operations, and compliance frameworks. In Phase 2, students complete an internship at Neptune Shield, where they work alongside cybersecurity professionals on active projects and gain direct exposure to business operations in the defense and maritime cybersecurity sectors. Thirty students, selected through a coordinated selection process, will participate as a named cohort, the CyberBridge Fellows, drawn from cybersecurity programs at all three institutions. Students are compensated through stipends for the full 80 hours of program participation. Each fellow produces a deliverable presented at their home institution's capstone fair or research symposium. The program advances CCI's workforce development mission by providing students across the Commonwealth with sustained engagement with a real-world cybersecurity organization and preparing them to enter the cyber workforce upon graduation. Student performance, satisfaction, knowledge progress, and post-cohort employment data will be collected, evaluated, and used as a key metric for cohort success at the end of the program.

Abhishek Phadke, PI – assistant professor, School of Engineering and Computing, Christopher Newport University

Michael Lapke, co-PI – associate professor, School of Engineering and Computing, Christopher Newport University

Chris Kreider, co-PI – assistant professor and director of the Cybersecurity and Information Science Program, School of Engineering and Computing, Christopher Newport University

Daniel Belsky, co-PI – School of Engineering and Computing, Christopher Newport University

Stephen Herwig, co-PI – assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science, William & Mary

Pratip Rana, co-PI – assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, Old Dominion University

Amanda Sawicz, industry partner – executive director, Neptune Shield Foundation

Abstract – Project goals include developing a multi-institution experiential learning program to train students in AI-driven cybersecurity for RF and edge-enabled IoT systems, addressing critical workforce needs in defense and wireless technologies. Students will engage in hands-on projects involving RF signal analysis, machine learning-based classification, adversarial attack modeling (e.g., backdoor injection and signal manipulation), and implementing defense mechanisms in real-world industry-driven scenarios provided by partners, including the U.S. Navy, which is a major employer in Virginia. In particular, the proposed program leverages the existing U.S. Navy Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (NCRADA) established between ODU and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) to integrate hands-on training, mentorship from RF engineers and cybersecurity professionals, and collaborative projects to prepare students for careers in the U.S. Navy where expertise in RF signal detection and cybersecurity is required. The project combines technical training, applied research, and industry mentorship to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity, RF systems, and AI-enabled applications. Through collaboration between Old Dominion University and Virginia Commonwealth University, the program promotes cross-institution teamwork and scalable training infrastructure. By providing training on RF systems, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, the project contributes to developing a highly skilled workforce aligned with the mission of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative and the needs of Virginia's defense and technology sectors.

Dimitrie Popescu, PI – professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University

Qianlong “Ronnie” Wang, co-PI – assistant professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University

Sherif Abdelwahed, co-PI – Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

Abstract – Virginia's power utilities, water authorities, and their cybersecurity partners increasingly rely on AI-enabled monitoring and decision support. A gap is already visible: recent graduates can read an AI alert without knowing what to do with it. Closing that gap takes supervised practice on systems that behave like real critical infrastructure (CI), not classroom demonstrations or static case studies. From Signals to Action is a 12-month experiential learning program that will provide exactly that practice. At the University of Virginia (UVA), William & Mary (W&M), and Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), 60 to 80 students move through three stages: guided fall modules that teach them to turn AI outputs into operational decisions, a cross-institution spring red-team/blue-team competition, and summer placements with regional utility and water-authority collaborators and the UVA Link Lab. Students work inside two open-source CI simulators — one for power grids, one for water distribution — and build a graded portfolio (attack-attribution reports, trust-calibration memos, a cross-thrust capstone) mapped to the NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Workforce Framework competencies. The program is designed for access, not only depth: a funded consultant at PVCC anchors a two-year-to-four-year transfer pathway so community college students enter on equal footing with peers at the two flagship institutions. Additionally, a senior research-science advisor from Peraton Labs — a Virginia-based firm developing cybersecurity and AI solutions across defense, energy, finance, and communications — will serve as an unpaid industry collaborator, providing feedback on the program's alignment with industry practice and engaging directly with students on the UVA campus. All modules, rubrics, and scenarios are released under permissive licenses, so any CCI partner can adopt them without additional infrastructure investment. The outcome is a workforce that can act on, not merely observe, the AI signals that increasingly mediate Virginia's critical infrastructure defense.

Jundong Li, lead PI – associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia

Yixin Sun, co-PI – assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Virginia

Jindong Wang, co-PI – assistant professor, Department of Data Science, William & Mary

Mireya Melendez – assistant professor, Cybersecurity Education, Piedmont Virginia Community College

Abstract – The project is building an immersive cyber range, a set of virtual reality training modules that teach students to respond to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, starting with manufacturing. Wearing headsets, students step onto a simulated plant floor as an attack unfolds and interact with AI characters that play the attacker, plant operators and help desk staff. Powered by large language models, these characters respond in real time to each student’s decisions. Behind the scenes, the platform checks every action against industry response protocols, pinpointing where each student hesitates or breaks procedure and tailoring feedback to that student. Students build these modules through paid summer internships, year-round paid undergraduate research positions and capstone projects, including a mentored Link Lab capstone for Charlottesville High School students. Student teams interview plant operators, cybersecurity managers, engineers and other stakeholders to ground each scenario in real procedures and incidents. These baseline modules are designed to expand into new sectors through additional industry partnerships and to support student learning in courses and training programs. Hosted in UVA’s Link Lab, the program engages students from UVA and other CCI institutions. Students in UVA’s spring 2027 VR/XR course, taught with a Leidos senior engineer, extend and test the modules. Multi-institution workshops held alongside Link Lab industry days connect students with Leidos and other industry partners, who also provide mentorship, scenario review and hiring pathways. The project addresses a growing gap in Virginia’s cybersecurity workforce, preparing students for operational technology security roles while building fluency in AI, virtual reality and human-AI interaction.

Learn more: https://engineering.virginia.edu/labs-groups/omni-reality-cognition-lab

Arsalan Heydarian, PI – associate professor, Link Lab, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Virginia

Jonathan Goodall, co-PI – director of the Link Lab and professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Virginia

Sepehr Sabeti – senior personnel — AI solution architect, Leidos

Abstract – The project is designed to scale and enhance George Mason University's Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) to prepare students for the cybersecurity workforce. Through partnerships with industry participants such as FWI, the Institute for Defense Analyses, Maximus, Mobius, and U.S. Cyber Command, PREP will provide 20 Virginia-based college students with hands-on, agile, and industry-led cybersecurity projects. These students will gain technical experience, develop client-facing communication skills, and engage in networking, mentorship, and specialized training. PREP's established methodology supports iterative improvement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and flexible project execution across academic semesters. The initiative aligns with the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative's (CCI) objectives in education, innovation, and workforce development, and will continue PREP's proven track record of student publications, cross-institution participation, and successful transitions into the cybersecurity field. Industry participants contribute cost share to the program in addition to hosting student projects.

Learn more: https://www.b-ngac.com/PREP_One_Pager(111125).pdf
Sign up to participate: https://forms.gle/nazijdrTW8CBBY628

Brian K. Ngac, PI – FWI Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow; director, Experiential Learning George Mason University

Nirup Menon, co-PI – Trex Corporate Partner Faculty Fellow; professor, Information Systems & Operations Management, George Mason University

Abstract – Nurses are central to healthcare delivery and are increasingly interacting with AI-enabled and connected clinical systems. While these technologies improve efficiency and patient care, they also introduce cybersecurity and privacy risks that frontline users are often unprepared to recognize or mitigate. The project will develop an experiential learning program that equips nursing students with both AI competency and foundational cybersecurity awareness. The program will be implemented at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Nursing, with participation from additional CCI member institutions. It consists of three integrated components: (i) a Smart Healthcare Security Lab providing hands-on exposure to AI-driven medical technologies and their associated risks; (ii) a Nursing Cyber Fellows program offering structured training on AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity; and (iii) short-term externships with healthcare partners such as VCU Health. The project will engage more than 100 students through lab activities and train up to 15 fellows in depth. Expected outcomes include improved awareness of cybersecurity risks, increased confidence in using AI tools safely, and exposure to technology-enabled healthcare careers. This project provides a scalable model for preparing a cyber-aware healthcare workforce in Virginia and establishes a foundation for future expansion.

Eyuphan Bulut, PI – associate professor, Department of Computer Science, Virginia Commonwealth University

Amy Salisbury, co-PI – professor and associate dean for research, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University

Abstract – The rapid adoption of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and emergency response has introduced new cybersecurity challenges within cyber-physical environments. However, current cybersecurity education often lacks hands-on experience with autonomous systems. Project plans call for an applied, student-centered training model that integrates drone engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence to close that gap. Students from Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, and George Mason University will participate in a multi-phase program that begins with building and configuring drone systems, followed by engagement in Drone Capture-the-Flag (CTF) and racing challenges that simulate adversarial environments. In the final phase, students develop AI-based drone detection and classification systems using multimodal data to support anti-drone operations and critical infrastructure protection. The program culminates in a statewide Drone CyberOps Hackathon and Competition, where teams are evaluated on racing performance, cyber defense, attack strategies, and AI detection models. Industry partners, including iVUE Robotics, Xelevate, and Agricision Inc., provide real-world scenarios, mentorship, and evaluation. Program outcomes will be assessed using performance-based metrics such as system functionality, challenge completion, competition results, and model accuracy. This project advances experiential learning and workforce development by preparing students with practical skills in cybersecurity and autonomous systems, aligning with the goals of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.

Sherif Abdelhamid, PI – assistant professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Virginia Military Institute

Mohamed Gebril, co-PI – associate professor, Department of Cyber Security Engineering, George Mason University

Sherif Abdelwahed, co-PI – professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University

Tremayne Waller, co-PI – director, Graduate Education Outreach & Engagement Programs, Virginia Tech

Veronica Spradlin – key personnel — Drone Park operations and training manager, Virginia Tech