麻豆视频官网入口

MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� Recently, the 麻豆视频官网入口 Cyber Education and Research Center co-hosted Security Matters 2025 with Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB), with a record-breaking turnout of more than 275 attendees.

The Security Matters conference, which was held on April 24, is the largest technology and security event in the region. It is free to attend and offers local businesses, security personnel, Murray State students and high school students from the surrounding areas the chance to learn about various issues and topics from industry professionals. Sponsors included Caterpillar Financial, DEVSource Technology Solutions, Lifepoint Health, Fastek Technology Services, Systems Solutions, Soma Cyber, Volta, InfraGard, Sprocket, and Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA).

Speakers included: Andrew Chiles, director of technical services at SpectorOps;  Lt. Col. Danya Sanders, Kentucky Army and National Guard Deputy G6 within the Office of Command, Control, Communications and Cyber Operations and Networks and Kentucky National Guard cyber program manager; Sarah Daley, global director of governance, risk and compliance and global information security at Bridgestone; James Meece, chief information security officer for the Louisville Metro Government; and David Carter, chief information security officer for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The conference featured the annual Cyber Awards Luncheon, hosted by the Murray State Cyber Education and Research Center. The awards ceremony began with the presentation of the Dr. Gene Wells Ray Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Bob Jackson, Murray State University President. Dr. Jackson has strongly supported the Program of Distinction in Cybersecurity since its inception more than 25 years ago.

Dr. Michael Ramage, director of the Cyber Education and Research Center at Murray State University, expressed his appreciation for Dr. Jackson鈥檚 years of support.

鈥淣o one has been more closely affiliated with our program as a Program of Distinction than Dr. Jackson,鈥� said Ramage. 鈥淎lthough he has not been President for the entire duration of the program, he was a senator in the state legislature and part of the founding group that established the programs of distinction, which ultimately led to the creation of our Cybersecurity and Network Management program.鈥�

Other notable awards included:

• • • The Dick Anderson Leadership Award: David Carter, chief information security officer for the Commonwealth of Kentucky

    • The Gary Brockway Faculty/Staff Excellence Award: Annie Dail, instructor in the School of Engineering at 麻豆视频官网入口

    • The Cyber Studies Distinguished Alumni Award: Andrew Chiles, director of technical services at SpectorOps, and John Schaudt, director at Data Link

    • The John Williams Entrepreneurship Award: Data Movers, located in Paducah, Kentucky 

    • The Lana Garner Porter Women in Technology Award: Sarah Daley, global director of governance, risk, and compliance and global information security at Bridgestone

    • The Nathan B. Stubblefield Distinguished Lecture Award: David Carter, chief information security officer for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In addition to these awards, several scholarships were given out to Murray State students who are currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree within the field of Cybersecurity and Network Management. Most notably, Dr. Mike Bowman awarded his scholarship, the Mike and Cindy Bowman Scholarship, to Aiden Green and Grace Foley.  In addition to this, the Dr. James Gantt National Advisory Board Scholarship was awarded to Andrew Cagel, Christian Ray, and Dakota Reeves, and the Dr. Gene Wells Ray Scholarship was awarded to Clayton Cope and Logan Allen.

In 1997, Kentucky House Bill 1 created Programs of Distinction through the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education at public postsecondary institutions, including 麻豆视频官网入口鈥檚 cybersecurity program. Murray State offers a bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity and network management, along with an accelerated master鈥檚 degree鈥攁vailable online鈥攊n cybersecurity management that can be completed in 12-18 months and certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

Murray State鈥檚 Cyber Education and Research Center provides education, research, development and outreach support for the University鈥檚 cyber-related programs.

Since 2019, 麻豆视频官网入口 has been designated a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, the program is certified through the Quality Assurance Commons with the Essential Employability Qualities Certification, and has won multiple national awards over the years through ITERA, including Program of the Year. 

Learn more about Murray State鈥檚 CNM program at .