DarkMatter and Khalifa University Launch CyberSecurity Research Award

DarkMatter Group, the region’s first and only fully integrated digital and cyber transformation firm, has announced the Cybersecurity Research Award (CRA) – an award focused on generating ideas that will safeguard the world’s smart cities against the cybersecurity threats of tomorrow.

In conjunction with strategic partner, Khalifa University, DarkMatter Group is inviting university students, graduate research assistants, researchers, and faculty from both local and international institutions to present ideas that could potentially advance the field of cybersecurity in the era of smart and digital cities. Khalifa University of Science and Technology is a research university dedicated to the advancement of learning through the discovery and application of knowledge.

The announcement came during a media roundtable that was organized at the Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi and was attended by top officials from DarkMatter and Khalifa University.

"The sustainability of our smart city future depends on creative and robust cybersecurity infrastructure and solutions to combat rising threats within today’s digital landscape," said Dr Shreekant Thakkar, Chief Scientist, Advanced Research of DarkMatter Group.

"With the unveiling of the Cybersecurity Research Award, we are one step closer towards uncovering breakthrough solutions that will futureproof our connected, digitalized cities. At DarkMatter Group we encourage research and are proud to be fostering a collaborative ecosystem that will leverage the skills and expertise of private, public, and academic entities in a bid to create a safer, more secure society for all," Dr. Thakkar added.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: "We are delighted to partner with the DarkMatter Group to announce the launch of CRA, as private and public sector collaboration with universities can be an effective tool for securing the key pillars of smart city infrastructure and services. Cybersecurity has come to remain one of the essential factors for today’s technology-driven world, and the UAE and the region place significant emphasis on the safety and security of the digital resources."

"As a research-intensive academic institution, we are also keen to share the expertise and knowledge with our collaboration partners and we believe the CRA, a robust research award initiative, will set the foundation for a smarter, safer digital world," Dr Al Hammadi added.

The pre-proposal stage of the CRA is currently open to applicants, with submissions closing on August 30, 2019. Selected applicants will then be invited to present their ideas to the CRA stakeholders and committee who will assess the impact of contestants’ presentations.

Following this, shortlisted teams will be invited to submit full proposals in February 2020. All awards will be selected by a rigorous, three-stage merit review process, and announced in May 2020.

To identify which projects to support, the CRA committee will rely on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute more broadly to the security of smart cities.