Cyber Defense Center
Wilsonville, OR: The Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) announced today the launch of its innovative Cyber Defense Center (CDC) at its Portland-Metro Campus in Wilsonville, Oregon. Modeled on a “teaching hospital” approach to training cybersecurity professionals — and with a purpose to serve as a solution site for industries’ challenges and opportunities in cyber space — Oregon Tech students will work in the CDC under the direction of highly qualified professionals with considerable experience in industry and academia. The Center formally opened its doors today, coinciding with Governor Kate Brown’s Oregon Day of Cyber proclamation, which also took place at Oregon Tech. The proclamation raises awareness of the importance of cybersecurity protections for all Oregonians.

Professor Kris Rosenberg, who created the Cyber Defense Center at Oregon Tech said, “There is currently a serious shortage of cybersecurity professionals throughout the world. One of the main issues industry faces in filling these critical positions is a lack of fully trained and qualified specialists. Most entry level positions require at least one to two years of previous work experience in the field. The teaching hospital concept allows Oregon Tech students to gain actual professional practice before they enter the workforce, making them available to fill these vacancies immediately upon graduation.”

Students working in the CDC are enrolled in Oregon Tech’s Information Technology bachelor’s degree program, which has a focus track in cybersecurity. These student security analysts will work, learn and earn on the job under the direction and tutelage of the CDC director, Brian Page. Students will learn to develop solutions customized to each organization’s specific information security needs.

Page said, “We work to find students who have a passion about cybersecurity and engage them so they stay enthusiastic, curious, and inspired. At the end of the day, building a team is not just about the technology, it is about the people, the clients you serve, and the problems you solve.”

The CDC will offer organizations in Oregon and SW Washington — from small nonprofits to mid-sized enterprises — a number of services to ensure that their cyber systems are secure from threats and intrusions that can impact credibility and data integrity. Organizations can get a free cybersecurity assessment to identify vulnerabilities, and then engage the CDC to provide additional cybersecurity services. These include security information event management, trending analysis, incident response, and managed next generation firewall in the CDC’s security operations center.

Dr. Nagi Naganathan, president of Oregon Tech said, “As a renowned polytechnic, Oregon Tech is industry’s university. The CDC is one more way in which we are demonstrating our commitment to prepare career-ready professionals for the regional economy, and beyond.”


About Oregon Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is the premier public polytechnic institution in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in engineering, health technologies, business, technology, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through applied and relevant learning and professional practice. Oregon Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls, an urban, industry-focused campus in the Portland-Metro area in Wilsonville, an Online Campus, and offers degrees at Boeing Seattle, Salem, and at other sites. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.