The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College has received a three-year, $441,645 National Science Foundation award to launch a new project called "Cyber AI Innovation: AI-Enhanced Cyber Data Analytics Education." The initiative addresses a critical shortage of cybersecurity and AI professionals, with Hawaiʻi currently ranking among the top five states for unmet cybersecurity workforce demand.
The project is led by Principal Investigator Debasis Bhattacharya, who also directs the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research, along with Co-Investigator Thomas Blamey. It builds on previous NSF-funded efforts at the college.
"The intersection of AI, data analytics and cybersecurity is a critical frontier for modern digital defense," said Bhattacharya. "With Hawaiʻi facing such a steep challenge in meeting cybersecurity job demands, this grant enables us to build robust, early-career pipelines. We are excited to empower local educators and students with the advanced skills needed to protect our critical systems."
New curriculum and faculty training
The project introduces an AI-integrated curriculum by embedding six new modules-including adversarial machine learning, AI-powered threat detection, secure AI pipelines and Cyber AI ethics-across six core computer science courses at UH Maui College. This work is directly relevant to AI for Cybersecurity Analysts training that emphasizes hands-on skills for defending digital systems.
A three-year professional development program will deliver statewide faculty training across all seven UH community colleges and Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) secondary schools. The college will also leverage the community of practice created by the NSF Project CSHawaii to expand K-14 academic pathways.
The project extends beyond IT, developing customized cyber AI micro-modules for non-IT fields such as healthcare and nursing, automotive technology, and accounting.
Summer camps for students
UH Maui College has also received a supplemental award of $129,190 from the NSF to host two AI camps during the summers of 2027 and 2028 in partnership with HIDOE. The camps will provide middle and high school students with basic AI literacy, safety, well-being, and coding experience, plus guidance on responsible AI use.
Additionally, the college has received $89,537 from the NSF to continue its GenCyber summer camps, which have been funded by the National Security Agency. The upcoming camps include two in-person sessions on Oʻahu and one online session during the summer of 2027. More details will be available at GenCyber Hawaiʻi.
Why this matters for educators
For educators and administrators in K-14 schools and community colleges, this project offers a clear model for integrating AI into cybersecurity education at multiple levels. The six new modules present directly usable curriculum components, while the professional development program provides a template for scaling AI training across institutions. These programs are worth watching for anyone developing AI for Education pathways, especially as the need for AI-fluent graduates grows across industries.
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