The Department of Defense (DOD) – rebranded as the Department of War last year – has issued a new call to academia for “groundbreaking entry-level curriculum in AI and cybersecurity to prepare the next generation for the digital front lines.”
The call is coming in the form of DOD’s ASCEND initiative announced by the agency’s Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO) on March 12.
“Do you have a revolutionary idea for education and innovation so powerful it could shape the future of our nation’s security?” the OCIO asked in the video announcement.
“The Department of War’s cyber academic engagement office presents the ASCEND Initiative, a high stakes competition to find the most forward thinking educational models in AI and cyber security,” DD said, emphasizing the need for “groundbreaking entry level curriculum.”
Interested parties need to move quickly, DOD said as proposal – between 2–4 pages – are due by March 27.
“This is more than a grant … it’s a call to action,” DOD said.
Finalists in the competition will win the opportunity to defend their proposals in front of DOD officials and industry judges, an unspecified cash prize, and the chance to build out a pilot project.