JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University is partnering with regional institutions on a new federally funded project to train Duval County middle and high school educators in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The initiative, titled CyberJaxAI-PATH: Cyber AI Pathways for K-12 Education, is supported by a three-year National Security Agency grant of more than $720,000.
The regional coalition includes Jacksonville University, the University of North Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville and Duval County Public Schools. The project aims to integrate AI literacy and AI-driven cybersecurity concepts into local K-12 classrooms, creating pathways for students to pursue higher education and careers in both fields.
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Under the grant, Jacksonville University will design and deliver a four-week professional development program for educators, assist with collaborative curriculum design and assessment and conduct faculty-led classroom visits and experiential learning.
The university will utilize its Center for Cybersecurity and its Cyber Range to carry out the training and outreach. Dr. Lisa Sutherland serves as the interim president of Jacksonville University. “Jacksonville’s employers have expressed the need for a strong cybersecurity and AI workforce and that pipeline begins long before a student arrives on a college campus,” Sutherland said. “By working together, our region’s institutions can give teachers the tools to build AI and cybersecurity literacy earlier, while helping students see the college and career pathways those skills can open. Jacksonville University is proud to contribute the expertise of our faculty and our Cyber Range to that work.”
The professional development training combines self-paced online coursework with intensive in-person instruction. The program includes optional components designed to assist participants in preparing for the Florida Teacher Certification Examination in Computer Science K-12.
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The initiative expands on Jacksonville University’s existing AI and cybersecurity academic offerings, which include AI engineering courses and an AI concentration within its computer science program.
Dr. Mini Zeng is the director of Jacksonville University’s School of Engineering and Technology and an associate professor of computing science and cybersecurity. She serves as the university’s lead principal investigator for the project. “We cannot prepare students for tomorrow’s careers using yesterday’s curriculum,” Zeng said. “By training teachers and engaging students, we can expand AI and cybersecurity literacy across Northeast Florida while strengthening the future workforce pipeline.”
Dr. Swapnoneel Roy, a professor of computing and director of the Center for Cybersecurity at the University of North Florida, leads the coalition and serves as the overall principal investigator.
At Jacksonville University, associate professor of cybersecurity Dr. Saeed Al-Haj and associate professor of computing science Dr. Reza Sarraf serve as co-principal investigators to support curriculum development and teacher instruction.
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