About

The Center for Secure and Dependable Systems (CSDS) supports and coordinates research and education in information assurance and cyber defense in support of the University of Idaho's teaching, learning, scholarly and creative activity goals.

CSDS was approved by the Idaho State Board of Education in 1999 as a research entity of U of I within the College of Engineering. CSDS led the initiative to have U of I designated as one of the first National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense in 1999 by the National Security Agency, with renewals in 2002, 2005 and 2008, the latter renewal including a review by the Department of Homeland Security. U of I was one of the first seven universities in the nation to receive this designation, and is the only computer science based NSA CAE Center in the Northwest.

In 2012 CSDS received an Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission award, enabling the center to add faculty in cyber security research in computer science, electrical engineering, civil engineering and sociology. This funding supports the growth of research in cyber security as well as helping establish partnerships with industry in Idaho. CSDS faculty members have also secured over $5 million from the Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, a national program funded by NSF. CSDS faculty and researchers have an excellent working relationships with industry, national labs, other universities and US Government agencies.