From left to right: Steve "Swede" Larson; Robert Butler, Cyber Strategies LLC; David Mussington, CISA; Guy Walsh, NSCC; and Bobby Blount, MITRE.
OCTOBER 29, 2021 — David Mussington, executive assistant director for infrastructure security for the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), spent time at the UTSA National Security Collaboration Center (NSCC) Thursday to meet with UTSA leadership and researchers about their innovations in the cybersecurity field.
His visit was part of a four-day, four-city visit to explore the cyber landscape in the state of Texas while connecting with the talent and workforce in this space.
A political scientist by training, Mussington leads CISA’s effort to secure the nation’s critical infrastructure and reduce risks from man-made or natural causes in coordination with government and the private sector. Key areas of focus include vulnerability and risk assessments; securing soft targets and crowded places; training and exercises; and securing high-risk chemical facilities.
The morning began with welcoming remarks by UTSA Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and Knowledge Enterprise Bernard Arulanandam followed by introductions by (Ret.) Brigadier General Guy Walsh, executive director of the NSCC.
“It has been a pleasure to welcome Dr. Mussington and his CISA team to the NSCC, and to showcase the depth of our expertise in cyber defense,” said Walsh, who also helped coordinate Mussington’s visit with UTSA’s research partners in Austin and San Antonio. “There can be no higher compliment that hearing that David has seen excellence at UTSA and our commitment to solve problems.”
Federal partners that were in attendance included representatives from the Air Force Research Laboratory, Army Research Laboratory, Department of Energy National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), NSA Texas, the U.S. Secret Service, and the 16th Air Force.
Howard Grimes, CEO of the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute, gave an update about the institute's work including its post-award plans for Trustworks.edu as a service to transform manufacturing on a global scale, and train more than a million cyber warriors.
This was augmented by demonstrations by UTSA research centers, institutes and labs including: Oren Upton of the IoT Lab; Glenn Dietrich of the Institute for Cyber Security’s SCADA Lab; and White of CIAS, as well as RPI Group—the newest industry NSCC member.
A working lunch followed with Joint Base San Antonio leadership on “Securing Commercial and Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) in San Antonio.” In the afternoon, they departed for the regional FBI headquarters for a roundtable discussion with federal, state, city officials, and the CIKR industry.
In addition to UTSA, Mussington visited with cyber experts over the past few days which included staff and researchers from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, Greater Houston Partnership, Texas A&M University’s RELLIS Campus, Secure America Institute, Capital Factory, UT Austin, and the Texas School Safety Center.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
UTSA students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to raise their voices and participate in the upcoming joint primary runoff election. Any registered Bexar County voter may vote at the H-E-B Student Union Bexar Room (HSU 1.102).
Bexar Room (HSU 1.102), H-E-B Student Union, Main CampusJoin fellow UTSA accounting alumni for this fun-filled event that includes breakfast, a round of golf, an awards luncheon and great prizes. All proceeds from the tournament benefit student scholarships.
Canyon Springs Golf Club, 24405 Wilderness Oak, San Antonio, TX 78260UTSA students, faculty, staff and community members are encouraged to raise their voices and participate in the upcoming joint primary runoff election. Election day is Tuesday, May 24. Any registered Bexar County voter may vote at the H-E-B Student Union Bexar Room (HSU 1.102).
Bexar Room (HSU 1.102), H-E-B Student Union, Main CampusPlease join us Wednesday, May 25, 2022 for a discussion with Colonel (ret) Michael Davis, MD, FACS, FRCS (Hon), former Director of the U.S. Combat Casualty Care Research Program. Dr. Davis will discuss how to best identify strengths at UTSA that can be effectively leveraged for funding proposals to the Department of Defense.
UTSA Business Building University Room (2.06.04), Main CampusUTSA is excited to introduce new flexible learning spaces available to the Roadrunner community. During this orientation, interested faculty will be guided through examples of innovative learning activities supported by these spaces and provided with an overview of relevant technical features.
Virtual EventDo you find yourself more worried than usual about our students? Would you like to feel more confident in your ability to provide support or assistance to them? We are pleased to announce this new brownbag professional development opportunity for you, Compassion Fatigue Training, that will be offered June 1, 2022.
Faculty Center Large Conference Room (JPL 4.04.12C), Main CampusThe Faculty Coffee Chat is designed to provide faculty members the space to discuss current issues they are facing in an inclusive and supportive environment.
Virtual EventThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
