Howerton represents CNS on cyber consortium board
Travis Howerton, senior director of Transformation, is representing Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) on the Cyber and Information Security Consortium. The group is a non-profit corporation formed last year by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee (UT), along with Cisco Systems, Y-12 National Security Complex, Sword & Shield Enterprise Security, the East Tennessee Economic Council, and other private corporations, to position the region as a national leader in the development and deployment of cutting-edge cyber security technologies.
“The consortium is still in early phases,” said Howerton. “Membership is growing, and they do two big get-togethers per year. We are working at the state level now to gain grant money to expand capabilities.”
Howerton said the consortium has a variety of roles and interests, including peer networking and recruiting of cyber talent; workforce development (partnering with colleges and universities on a talent pipeline, just signing an agreement with Pellissippi State Community College); and public awareness of policy issues (currently working with UT’s Baker Center on education about cyber issues). Most of the research and development is driven by ORNL, but there are some longer-term interests based on CNS work.
“Right now, it is a chance for CNS to be seen in the community and working with others on an initiative that could solve some meaningful problems in our area and grow jobs over the mid to long term.