Core Values

1. Ethics & Human-Centered Design

We place people, dignity, and societal well-being at the center of all technologies and policies.
In Practice: Apply ethical frameworks to AI and cyber use cases to advance safety, fairness, accessibility, and inclusion.

2. Integrity & Accountability

We uphold the highest standards of honesty and responsibility in our research, teaching, and partnerships.
In Practice: Maintain transparent methods, document decisions, cite standards, and take ownership of results.

3. Equity & Access

We are committed to expanding opportunity, reducing barriers, and ensuring all learners can succeed in cyber policy and technology pathways.
In Practice: Create flexible learning routes, provide targeted supports or stipends, and measure equity outcomes across programs.

4. Interdisciplinary Collaboration

We unite STEM and non-STEM disciplines to address complex, cyber-enabled societal challenges.
In Practice: Co-teach, co-advise, and co-create across Political Science, Psychology, Business, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, and more.

5. Evidence-Based Practice & Standards Alignment

We ground our work in proven frameworks, research, and globally recognized standards.
In Practice: Align curricula, labs, and assessments with NIST CSF, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 27001/27701, NICE, and SFIA workforce frameworks.

6. Security, Privacy & Safety by Design

We embed protection, resilience, and trustworthiness into every system from the beginning.
In Practice: Implement least-privilege access, secure virtual lab environments, privacy-first data practices, and continuous security monitoring.

7. Student-Centered Excellence & Workforce Readiness

We prepare students to thrive through meaningful, job-relevant skills and real-world experience.
In Practice: Develop portfolios, badges, and artifacts that validate competencies aligned with employer and industry needs.

8. Purpose-Driven Innovation

We innovate responsibly—exploring new ideas that enhance learning, research, and the public good.
In Practice: Pilot emerging tools and methods that demonstrably improve outcomes while reducing risk.

9. Partnership & Public Service

We co-create value with industry, government, nonprofits, and communities to strengthen cyber policy ecosystems.
In Practice: Formalize MOUs, produce actionable briefs and tools, and expand internships, externships, and practicum opportunities.

10. Stewardship & Sustainability

We manage resources with care to ensure long-term program strength and institutional impact.
In Practice: Leverage philanthropy and CYPI funding, track KPIs (retention, completion, placement), and reinvest where data show the greatest returns.