Google announces $12m research program with local universities to bolster NYC’s cybersecurity leadership

CUNY, Columbia, Cornell University and NYU to each receive $1M annually until 2025; includes funding for research projects, training and education 

The Google Cyber NYC Institutional Research Program will bolster NYC’s cybersecurity workforce, with a focus on developing diverse talent

New York, NY, June 12, 2023 — Today Google announced the Google Cyber NYC Institutional Research Program, allocating $12 million to stimulate the cybersecurity ecosystem and establish New York City as the global leader in cybersecurity. The $12 million announced today will go towards cutting-edge research conducted at four of the city’s leading institutions of higher education. It will also be used to expand educational opportunities for students seeking advanced degrees in cybersecurity.  

As part of this commitment, The City University of New York, Columbia University, Cornell University (including Cornell Tech and the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science) and New York University will each receive $1 million in annual funding, each year through 2025. The funding will support ~90 collaborative research projects by 2025 in areas where further research could encourage the development of more secure digital ecosystems and inspire innovation. The funding will also be used by the universities to help grow their cybersecurity degree programs, bolster the upcoming workforce and champion underrepresented groups in cyber.

The funding will also address diversity gaps in the cybersecurity industry by focusing on recruiting and developing workers from underrepresented groups.

Deans from each university participated in a fireside chat on Monday morning with Google Cloud Chief Information Security Officer Phil Venables to discuss New York’s unique position as a global financial capital and its need for deep cyber resources. 

“The Google Cyber NYC Institutional Research Program will further propel New York as a research leader in cybersecurity, alongside the work of preeminent city institutions like New York City Cyber Command,” said Phil Venables, Chief Information Security Office for Google Cloud. “At Google, we're committed to being bold and responsible stewards of emerging technology like AI, so we're working together with four of New York's leading institutions to make sure the city is prepared as the threat landscape continually shifts.”

“It is more important than ever that we invest in the resources needed to protect New Yorkers and our critical infrastructure from cyber threats,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “We applaud Google for leveraging the incredible talent and resources coming from the city's academic institutions to continue building career pipelines, with a priority on underrepresented groups, while sparking cutting-edge research that will advance the cybersecurity industry and create a safer future for all New Yorkers.”

“We are proud that Google has recognized CUNY’s excellence in this area and that they are partnering with us to educate and train a diverse group of cybersecurity experts who over the next few years will be exposed to and help develop more effective cybersecurity measures,” said CUNY Graduate Center Dean for the Sciences Joshua Brumberg. “Google’s funding will also help support CUNY-based research projects to develop cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies that better protect information and access to valuable assets.”

“Making systems safe, secure, and trustworthy is incredibly hard, and it’s only going to become harder in the age of AI. Cornell is grateful and eager to take on this challenge with Google and with our colleagues across New York,” said Greg Morrisett, the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech. “We believe NYC will be the epicenter for next-generation research, students, and startups in cyber, trust, and safety, and we applaud Google for its leadership and unwavering support for Cornell University.”

“Building more secure and trustworthy systems is crucial to realizing the promise of new technologies that will change our lives,” said Shih-Fu Chang, Dean of Columbia Engineering. “New York City is the natural choice for these critical efforts as it continues to expand as both a hub for research innovation and a leader in developing new programs for workforce development. Columbia is proud to support these important initiatives with our world-class faculty and students, together with the many resources we’ve devoted to this area.” 

“Unsecure cyber space is one of the greatest threats to our society and the only way to be sure to create safer information systems, networks and communications is by bringing academia and industry together,” said NYU Tandon School of Engineering Dean, Jelena Kovačević. “This funding from Google will allow our Center for Cybersecurity as well as partners at other NYU schools and across the city to tackle these important threats and focus on a safer future for everyone.”

The program is part of a $10 billion cybersecurity initiative that Google announced in 2021. Earlier this year we also launched the Google Cybersecurity Certificate as the newest addition to our Google Career Certificates. The Certificate is designed and taught by Google’s cybersecurity experts. It will prepare learners for entry-level jobs in cybersecurity in less than six months with no prior experience required and help businesses fill critical roles including cybersecurity analyst and information security analyst.

ABOUT GOOGLE NEW YORK

Google first came to New York in 2000 and has been a dedicated partner to the city and state since. With over 12,000 employees in the state, Google knows New York is one of the most important talent pools in the world because of its unparalleled entrepreneurial and creative energy. Through Grow with Google programs offered on the NYC campus and online, local Google.org grant initiatives, continued building development and various public-private partnerships, Google intends to be a staple to New York’s economic growth, a vital member of the community and a leader of New York’s pandemic recovery. 

ABOUT THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving over 243,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 55,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “Genius” Grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background.

ABOUT COLUMBIA ENGINEERING

Since 1864, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University has been a resource to the world for major advances in human progress. Today, Columbia Engineering is a leading engineering school and a nexus for high-impact research. Embedded in New York City, the School convenes more than 250 faculty members and more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students from around the globe to push the frontiers of knowledge and solve humanity’s most pressing problems.

ABOUT CORNELL TECH

Cornell Tech focuses on creating pioneering leaders and technologies for the digital age, through research, technology commercialization, and graduate-level education at the professional master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels. Our premise is that the rapid pace of innovation in the digital age calls for new approaches to commercializing university technology, new levels of strategic collaboration between companies and universities, and new curricula for graduate education. We are creating new academic programs that blend technical depth, business knowhow, design skills and a “builder” mindset.

ABOUT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY TANDON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

The NYU Tandon School of Engineering is home to a community of renowned faculty, undergraduate and graduate students united in a mission to understand and create technology that powers cities, enables worldwide communication, fights climate change, and builds healthier, safer, and more equitable real and digital worlds. The school’s culture centers on encouraging rigorous, interdisciplinary collaboration and research; fostering inclusivity, entrepreneurial thinking, and diverse perspectives; and creating innovative and accessible pathways for lifelong learning in STEM.  NYU Tandon dates back to 1854, the founding year of both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, NYU Tandon is a vital part of New York University and its unparalleled global network. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu.