Priya PatelTLDR:
- Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, has awarded a $1 million grant to a San Diego nonprofit and three universities to fund a cyber clinic for local businesses.
- The clinic will provide free digital security services to under-resourced organizations and aims to train students in cybersecurity skills through real-world projects.
In San Diego County, a $1 million grant from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, has been awarded to a San Diego nonprofit, the Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE), and three universities – California State University San Marcos, National University, and San Diego State University. The grant will fund the establishment of a cyber clinic, modeled after medical and law school clinics, to improve cyber defenses for local businesses, especially those with limited resources.
The initiative, announced on June 4, aims to provide free digital security services to under-resourced organizations and will involve volunteer, software, and in-kind support from Google. The clinic is set to start operations in the fall and plans to host 1,000 students and assist 260 companies and organizations over a six-year period.
This effort is part of a larger $25 million nationwide program by Google to fund cybersecurity clinics, with San Diego’s clinic being unique in its collaboration between a nonprofit and three universities. The goal is to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and real-world experience for college students in cybersecurity and AI skills.
By creating a more inclusive cybersecurity workforce, the clinic aims to better protect vulnerable organizations and critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. This initiative comes at a time when the threat of cyberattacks, including those backed by nation states, remains a concern for organizations of all sizes.
The consortium behind the clinics plans to establish a cybersecurity clinic in every U.S. state by 2030 to address the lack of diversity in the cybersecurity workforce, which is currently predominantly white and male. By fostering a workforce that thinks differently, the clinic hopes to enhance cybersecurity defenses against threats.
