NSA Program Validation

Home | Computer and Information Sciences | Cyber Defense Laboratory | NSA Program Validation

The Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) at 麻豆女演员 Institute is pleased to announce that VMI has received the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation from the National Security Agency (NSA).

The Cybersecurity Track previously received NSA Program of Study (PoS) validation, an important component of the CAE-CD designation process. The completed designation recognizes that VMI鈥檚 cybersecurity curriculum meets rigorous national standards for cybersecurity education and workforce development and helps prepare cadets with the knowledge and technical skills needed to support cyber defense and national security missions.

Point of Contact (POC) for CAE

Col. David Smith
Email: smithdtr@vmi.edu
Phone: 540-464-7584

Col. Smith serves as thePoint of Contact (PoC) for the Program of Study (PoS) within the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) initiative at 麻豆女演员 Institute. He has over twenty-two years of university teaching experience combined with extensive industry, management, and research experience in computer science and cybersecurity. His work includes curriculum development, cybersecurity education, software engineering, and leadership roles within VMI鈥檚 cyber programs, including Director of the Institute for Cyber Security and Director of Operations for the Cyber Security Institute.

Alternate Point of Contact (A-POC) for CAE

Col. Imran Ghani
Email: ghanii@vmi.edu
Phone: 540-464-7845

Col. Ghani serves as the Alternate Point of Contact (A-PoC) for the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) initiative at 麻豆女演员 Institute. He has fifteen years of university teaching experience combined with five years of software development experience, five years of management experience, and nineteen years of research experience. His areas of focus include software engineering and architecture, programming (Java, Python, PHP, C/C++), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI/UX), web programming and APIs, computer forensics, and cybersecurity-related research and capstone He also serves as the Computer Science Internship Program Coordinator and Director of the GenCyber Summer Camp 2025.