MORGANTOWN — In a collaborative effort, West Virginia University colleges, departments and units are coming together to form WVU Cyber — a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary initiative that unites different types of cyber-related research and study across the WVU System to tackle security, economic and workforce challenges.

The University announced the initiative during the inaugural Mountain State Cyber Summit where more than 600 industry, government and academic leaders joined students to discuss shaping the digital future together.

Bill Walker, executive director of WVU Cyber and the University’s head of national security and cyberspace programs, said the challenges cyber threats pose are too important to tackle alone and too urgent to delay.

“Over a billion cyberattacks occur globally every day,” Walker said. “Breaches are up 75% year over year, and cybercrime will cost $23 trillion by 2027. At the same time, a shortage of more than 500,000 cyber professionals across the U.S. leaves a critical workforce gap.”

According to Walker, cyberattacks not only disrupt families, small businesses and communities, but also critical systems that impact our everyday lives like hospitals, emergency communications, banks, power grids and drinking water.

“Cyber is not one discipline. It is a full ecosystem that requires academia, government, and industry to tackle threats and challenges together. We are launching WVU Cyber to replicate this trifecta in house to mirror how cyber works in real life: connected, collaborative, and ever evolving,” Walker said.

That is why WVU Cyber goes beyond cybersecurity. Disciplines also include artificial intelligence, computer science, engineering, mathematics, criminology, intelligence studies, data analytics, law, ethics, business, health care data and public policy.

Tom Devine, teaching associate professor and director of the Lane Learning and Mentoring Center in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, finds the initiative’s holistic approach a true differentiator.

“The thing I love about WVU Cyber is how we’re incorporating the traditionally separate programs from certain colleges, like a business school versus an engineering school,” Devine said. “We have students who are taking classes in both areas, so they get that multidimensional perspective that touches everything cyber-related instead of just a narrow focus. As students, they need that to learn, grow, and prepare for jobs in the real world.”

Internal partnerships between colleges and units scratch the surface of WVU partnerships. The University also closely collaborates with federal partners such as the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.

Morgan Baker, a WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics senior who is double majoring in data science and economics, was among the first students to experience WVU Cyber in action. Thanks to a new federal partnership with the Department of Defense’s national VICEROY Scholars program, Baker said she had the experience of a lifetime this past summer on an Air Force base working alongside military and industry experts to confront real cyber threats facing the U.S. military.

“As one of the University’s first VICEROY Scholars, I had no idea that I would build such a strong professional, mentor, and friendship network that will last throughout my career,” Baker said. “I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the complex challenges facing the military and the critical role that cyber and AI technologies play in addressing them. The scale and complexity of these problems highlight opportunities for innovation, and it made me excited to contribute to solving some of these problems.”

“At WVU, we intentionally invest in programs that help students gain the skills and knowledge that meet current and evolving workforce demands,” Vice Provost Mark Gavin said.

As cyber sectors shift and evolve, Gavin said the University will respond by introducing new courses, programs and degrees that address emerging needs in cyber and cyber-adjacent areas.

Just this fall, WVU introduced a Bachelor of Science in Applied AI and Data Analytics while two online master’s degrees in AI and Cybersecurity will launch in 2026.