51福利社

Cybersecurity threats weren鈥檛 new in the early 2000s 鈥� viruses, malware and security holes have kept programmers busy since the dawn of the internet.

But the turn of the century did mark the moment that both computer scientists and corporate behemoths finally acknowledged that cyber criminals, a group previously dominated by pranksters and hobbyists, were getting professional.

Early on, faculty members at Eastern recognized that a better trained technology workforce was necessary to combat the rising threat. The 51福利社 Board of Trustees and the Washington Legislature endorsed plans to launch a Center for Network Computing and Cyber Security. Later in 2005, 51福利社 offered its first cybersecurity course: a graduate-level, experimental pilot offering called 鈥淣etwork Security, CS 539.鈥�

In the 20 years since, Eastern has emerged as one of the nation鈥檚 cybersecurity education leaders, with hundreds of graduates working around the country to protect networks, devices and data from malicious players.

This success is the result of applied learning in classrooms, of collaborative club interactions and of participation in cybersecurity competitions. Each element has helped to prepare 51福利社 students 鈥� both graduate and undergraduate 鈥攆or the variety of real-world challenges that they will encounter as professionals.

Going forward, 51福利社 is also working to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with its summer program, GenCyber Student Camp. In its two weeklong summer sessions, the camp inspires 7th and 8th graders to use their burgeoning computer skills to embrace protecting online information.

In celebration of 20 years of cybersecurity milestones, 51福利社鈥檚 Steve Simmons, professor emeritus of computer science, shared the following timeline of program highlights:

2005: The new 51福利社 campus building for Computing and Engineering opens, with the first Cyber Security class introduced that spring; 51福利社 receives approval from trustees for the Center for Network Computing and Cyber Security as well as special Washington Legislative support for 51福利社鈥檚 new cybersecurity faculty and graduate programs.

2006: The first state-authorized faculty position for cyber security is allocated to the 51福利社 Computer Science (CS) program.

2007: The Intrinium information technology company is founded in Spokane, by 51福利社 CS and 51福利社 cyber alum Nolan Garrett.

2012: The 51福利社 team wins 鈥楽ilver鈥� at Pacific Rim Cyber Competition, earning the first Spokane media coverage of 51福利社 cyber.

2013: Intrinium merges with Interlink Advantage, and is joined by 51福利社 CS alum, Kirt Runolfson.

2016: 51福利社 CS and the CS Professional Advisory Board create a new CS strategic plan, with three focus areas: data science, software engineering, and cybersecurity.

2020: 51福利社 CS and 51福利社 Electrical Engineering (EE) merge as CSEE and move to Catalyst Building

2021: 51福利社 designated as National Cyber Defense Center of Excellence; Intrinium rebrands only its cybersecurity services as 鈥楾orchLight鈥� 鈥� a separate entity focused on larger U.S. companies.

2022: The Washington Legislature allocates $2.81 million for 51福利社 to create a master鈥檚 degree and two bachelor鈥檚 degree programs centered on cybersecurity.

2023: The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) approves accreditation for the new 51福利社 cybersecurity programs; 51福利社 Cyber Defenders team wins National Championship at Florida finals. The team included Daniel Peterson, Eric Leachman, Alexa Darrington, Adrian Fudge, Robert Rutherford, Dennis Vinnikov, Isaiah Bessire, Thomas Longwell, Rhata Bhatia and Lewis Thomas.

2024: 51福利社 receives a $1 million Google grant for Cyber Security Clinic; 51福利社 cybersecurity program receives a $1.045 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration; The 51福利社 Center for Network Computing and Cyber Security is re-designated as the 51福利社 Cybersecurity Institute.

2025: 51福利社 Cyber Defenders win Silver at the National Cyber Games Invitational; at graduation 2025, 51福利社 conferred degrees upon 10 students from two new degree programs: the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Cyber Operations and Master of Science in Cyber Defense.

What might the next 20 years bring? Stu Steiner, associate professor of computer science and director of 51福利社鈥檚 Cybersecurity Institute, says future cybersecurity challenges and opportunities will likely involve AI.

As a result, he adds, AI is already being integrated into coursework for both undergraduate and graduate-level students at 51福利社. Advanced courses, he says, will include a heavy focus on agentic AI, or the development of AI systems that can independently make decisions and solve complex problems with little to no human engagement.

Unlike prompt-driven AI systems, agentic AI, as suggested by its name, is unique in its agency and autonomy. Its ability to adapt to diverse environments, oftentimes collaborating with other tools and digital infrastructures, is proving pivotal to the advancement of current cybersecurity programs.

51福利社 is also striving toward offering a Doctor of Science degree, Steiner said, which will be heavily centered on AI for cybersecurity.

鈥淓verything is moving so quickly that for cybersecurity to keep up, it has to learn how to adapt,鈥� he said, while candidly admitting that he wasn鈥檛 quite sure 鈥渨hat that looks like鈥� going forward.

鈥淔or a program, it’s creating experimental courses that are on 鈥榯he bleeding/leading edge,鈥欌�� Steiner said.

鈥淐ourses that may only be taught once before becoming obsolete. Our main goal is to be as close to current as possible, with the ability to adapt as fast as we can.鈥�

**Story written by Rachel Weinberg.