About

Pennsylvania is the second-largest natural gas-producing state, the second largest in nuclear power generating capacity, and the third-largest producer of electricity in the nation. Protecting this critical infrastructure from cyber threats requires more than improving information technology (IT) cybersecurity.  
 
That’s why we’re proud to build the Cyber Energy Center through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. 
 
The University of Pittsburgh is uniquely poised to develop solutions through interdisciplinary research, well-established industry and government partnerships, and collaborative faculty-student research.

The Center's ecosystem acts as a force multiplier for the cybersecurity and energy industries, increasing the speed at which these organizations solve critical problems. Industry partners gain a startup's sense of urgency and efficient use of resources to address existing challenges and emerging threats. This happens in two ways:  

First, as Center personnel engage stakeholders in in-depth discovery, identify technology gaps, and fill gaps with the advice of industry. The Center's R&D efforts will move technologies through ever higher technology readiness levels, and when appropriate, key technologies would be commercialized in innovation projects. 

Second, through immersive education, student teams rapidly iterate on ideas to validate solutions to operational needs. Teams get out of the classroom, learn by doing, and interact directly with cybersecurity, IT/OT, and energy industry stakeholders. Students gain a deeper understanding of real-world needs, a solution's value proposition, and how a desirable, viable, and feasible solution is innovated.