COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. The Network Information and Space Security Center at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will receive $4.6 million as part of the Defense Appropriations Bill signed into law by President George W. Bush Jan. 5.
CU President Hank Brown and UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak announced the funding in cooperation with Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colorado. Allard serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and was instrumental in securing the funding. This is the fourth consecutive year NISSC has received federal appropriations for its work.
The appropriation will allow the five-year-old center to provide education and training to a broad range of individuals such as first responders, small business operators, the space cadre, and K-12 educators.
“This is great news for the campus and CU,” President Hank Brown said. “The funding represents a continued investment by the federal government in CU’s leadership in space education and research. We are grateful for Senator Allard’s work in advancing critical space research and education initiatives.”
UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak said: “The continued funding for the Network Information and Space Security Center at UCCS helps ensure that the best minds of our campus, our state, and our nation work together to ensure the safety of America. I am deeply grateful of the confidence of Sen. Allard and members of our delegation in our faculty and the work that is taking place.”
UCCS began its support of homeland security research and preparation of space professionals in the mid-1980s in cooperation with U.S. Space Command. NISSC was under development prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks but its mission was broadened to include homeland security.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 25 bachelor’s degrees, 18 master’s and two doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,800 students annually.