{"id":300313,"date":"2026-05-19T21:39:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T21:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/300313\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T21:39:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T21:39:25","slug":"texas-tech-breaks-ground-on-critical-infrastructure-security-site-may-2026-texas-tech-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/300313\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Tech Breaks Ground on Critical Infrastructure Security Site | May 2026 | Texas Tech Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Located at the Reese National Security Complex, it will help advance research, innovation
\n and collaboration in national security and critical infrastructure protection.<\/p>\n

\t\tCREATORS<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

In 2024, Texas Tech University<\/a> established an institute dedicated to examining vulnerabilities in the critical infrastructure
\n of the U.S. and develop methods to clarify and mediate those vulnerabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, construction began on a site to expand that work.<\/p>\n

Officials broke ground at the Texas Tech University Reese National Security Complex<\/a> (RNSC) on the Critical Infrastructure Security<\/a> Site, which will expand the capacity to advance research, innovation and collaboration
\n in national security and critical infrastructure protection.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s groundbreaking marks an important milestone for the Texas Tech University
\n Reese National Security Complex and for our growing leadership in national security
\n research,\u201d said President Lawrence Schovanec<\/a>. \u201cAs the first major development at the RNSC since the passage of House Bill 5092,
\n this project demonstrates the momentum behind our efforts to build a nationally recognized
\n hub for research and workforce development focused on protecting the nation\u2019s critical
\n infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Critical Infrastructure Security Institute (CISI) advances the protection, resilience
\n and security posture of our nation\u2019s critical infrastructure systems. It accomplishes
\n this goal by developing cutting-edge solutions to emerging security challenges through
\n interdisciplinary research, innovative education and strategic partnerships. The institute
\n utilizes infrastructure design, threat intelligence, cyber analytics and research
\n capacity to achieve this goal.<\/p>\n

CISI builds on Texas Tech\u2019s existing strengths in cybersecurity, energy and cyber-physical
\n systems research as well as its uniquely qualified faculty to ensure the U.S. stays
\n at the forefront of technology and produces a workforce capable of protecting the
\n country from future threats. From testing critical power infrastructure to cyber-physical
\n defense, this facility will allow CISI to serve as a national hub for innovation,
\n certification and national security while training the next generation of scientists
\n and engineers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis groundbreaking reflects Texas Tech\u2019s growing role in securing the nation\u2019s critical
\n infrastructure,\u201d said Stephen Bayne<\/a>, vice president for national security and executive director of the CISI. \u201cThis research
\n site strengthens our ability to protect the systems our nation, state and community
\n depend on every day and delivers solutions that address evolving threats to infrastructure
\n security.\u201d<\/p>\n

CISI also works with federal, industry and educational partners to monitor and update
\n networks to strengthen critical infrastructure security and develop standards, best
\n practices and innovative technologies that will decrease the vulnerabilities of the
\n electrical grid, water utilities, communication, military and other systems vital
\n to the economies of the region, state and nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cTexas continues to lead the nation in defense innovation and research, and Texas
\n Tech University\u2019s new Critical Infrastructure Security Site will further strengthen
\n that mission,\u201d said Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dustin Burrows. \u201cLocated
\n at the Reese National Security Complex, this facility will help develop the next generation
\n of cybersecurity and defense professionals while advancing critical research that
\n strengthens our national security and prepares Texas to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
\n The Texas Legislature remains committed to supporting research and infrastructure
\n projects that expand these capabilities and support Texas\u2019 leadership in defense and
\n cybersecurity.\u201d<\/p>\n

CISI has already made an impact through a variety of training and curriculum opportunities
\n to equip professionals already in the workforce as well as high school and college
\n students preparing to do so.<\/p>\n

The West Texas Cyber Workforce Development Consortium established critical infrastructure
\n security training, providing hands-on experience with resilient, cyber-physical systems
\n to industry professionals and college and high school students. This is sponsored
\n by a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.<\/p>\n

The Texas Talent Connections Development grant from the Texas Workforce Commission
\n combines efforts from Texas Tech, West Texas A&M and others to train high school and
\n college students as well as those in the industry as information and operations systems
\n security professionals.<\/p>\n

The Army Research Lab workforce development pilot grant supports a comprehensive research
\n and workforce development program that tackles challenges related to national defense
\n and enhances research capabilities in cybersecurity and materials science. Students
\n receive hands-on, real-world experience through applied research projects and internships.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe start of construction on the Critical Infrastructure Security Site is not only
\n great news for Texas Tech, but for the Lone Star State as a whole, and I applaud my
\n friend Speaker Burrows and Texas Tech leaders for their vision to create this important
\n site,\u201d Sen. John Cornyn said. \u201cOnce completed, this facility will strengthen our nation\u2019s
\n cyber defense capabilities, create opportunities for education and innovation and
\n bolster Texas\u2019 place as a leader in the evolving field of critical infrastructure
\n protection.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Located at the Reese National Security Complex, it will help advance research, innovation and collaboration in national security…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":60294,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,29,28],"class_list":["post-300313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300313"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300313\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}