SCHUMER CALLS ON ADMINISTRATION TO INCLUDE A ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY REPRESENTATIVE AT THE WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT ON CYBERSECURITY & CONSUMER PROTECTION – SCHUMER SAYS RIT, AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN FIELD, SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO IMPROVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT PROTECT CONSUMERS

RIT Has Proven Expertise in Cybersecurity Field & Was Named ‘National Center of Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education’ Through the Year 2021 – Schumer Says RIT is a Leader in Preparing Future Professionals to Meet Challenges of Industry & is Well-Positioned to Contribute to National Summit

 

Schumer: RIT is Critical Piece of Puzzle in Ensuring America is Prepared to Protect Our Constantly Changing Information Infrastructure – Include a Rep At This Year’s National Summit

 

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the White House to include a Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) representative at the Administration’s Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection, to be held at Stanford University in California this February. Schumer explained that the purpose of the summit is to bring together public and private sector experts to develop ways to better protect American companies from the cyber security threats of today and better safeguard consumer financial protection in a time when data breaches and company-wide computer hacks are increasingly more common. Schumer said that RIT has been a leader in  the cybersecurity field for years, and would therefore be able to contribute its expertise to this growing, nationwide effort aimed at developing and improving the kinds of technologies that will better protect American companies and consumers. Schumer said that RIT has been designated as a National Center of Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education through the year 2021 and has proven to be a crucial piece of the puzzle in ensuring both Upstate New York and the U.S. have professionals with the skills and training needed to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure.

 

“The Rochester Institute of Technology has proven time and time again that it is a leader in the field of cybersecurity and it is committed to providing its students the skills and expertise needed to meet the growing challenges of this industry. RIT’s national designation as a center for excellence in cyber defense education and experience in growing a pipeline of professionals with the talent to develop the next generation of consumer financial protection technologies would make it a key voice at the White House Summit,” said Schumer. “I am urging the Administration to include an RIT representative at its conference next month because universities like RIT are a crucial piece to the puzzle when it comes to ensuring we have professionals with the knowledge and ability to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure.”

 

Schumer explained that this cybersecurity summit is a part of President Obama’s BuySecure Initiative, which was launched in November 2014. This initiative is aimed at developing and advancing the kinds of technologies that will lead to greater consumer financial protection and increased cyber defense networks. Schumer said that, by holding this summit, the Administration will bring together major stakeholders, both public and private, to work together in developing cybersecurity practices and technologies that will increase cybersecurity as well as consumer protection across diverse industries, particularly computer security companies and the retail industry.

 

A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter to the Obama Administration’s Director of the United States National Economic Council appears below:

 

Dear Director Jeffrey D. Zients,

 

I write to ask that you include a representative from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection on February 13, 2015. Universities like RIT are a crucial piece of the puzzle in ensuring we have professionals with the right knowledge and skill to protect our nation’s critical information infrastructure. RIT has proven to be a leader in preparing students to meet the growing challenges in the field of cybersecurity and would it would be a key voice at the White House Summit.

 

RIT is a National Center of Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education through the year 2021 and was originally designated in 2006 by the National Security Agency (NSA). Since this initial designation RIT computing security students have received the DHS Information Assurance  scholarship including a student awarded a White House Champion for Change.  RIT also recently received a National Science Foundation award under their CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program and has hosted numerous National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Cybersecurity events. After taking home first place in 2013 and second in the 2014 National Cybersecurity Competition it is obvious they are committed to providing a growing pipeline of professionals with expertise in this field.

 

Again, I welcome the opportunity for RIT to be represented at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection. It is critical as we look to find ways to improve cybersecurity practices and secure technologies that we have a generation of new professionals with the tools needed to protect us and universities like RIT will play a major role in making this happen. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator