[March 24, 2014]

UD hires national defense expert Starnes Walker to lead new cybersecurity initiative

The University of Delaware Cybersecurity Initiative (UDCSI), which emphasizes issues facing corporate America, has named a leading national expert as founding director.

Starnes E. Walker, a physicist with 35 years of leadership experience in research, development and engineering to enhance national security, will take the helm April 1.

Walker has held senior positions in the U.S. Departments of Defense, Energy and Homeland Security, as well as industry. He developed critical programs and aligned strategic systems across the U.S. and around the globe, forging key partnerships with the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Israel, Sweden, the European Union and NATO.

Michael Hayden, retired U.S. Air Force four-star general and former director of the National Security Agency (News - Alert) and of the Central Intelligence Agency, said: "Starnes Walker understand what it takes to defend a nation against cyber-threats. Cyber attackers are growing increasingly more sophisticated, now becoming more interested in taking out entire systems instead of just compromising data. Academia, through initiatives such as the University of Delaware's, will play an important role in developing solutions for shoring up the nation's cyber-defense."

A key focus of Walker's new post will be corporate cybersecurity. Under his leadership, UD will develop partnerships to advance cybersecurity education and research and will create prominent undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as certificate programs for corporate and government professionals.

According to Walker, defending the U.S. from cyber attacks requires highly trained specialists who can design secure computing systems, write secure computer code and create tools to protect, detect and recover from malicious acts. The need is immediate, and the stakes are high.

Among Walker's top goals will be developing problem-based and experiential learning programs, areas UD has pioneered, and establishing cybersecurity activities in partnership with colleges and departments across campus and with corporations and government entities.

Previously, Walker was chief technology officer and technical director for the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10^th Fleet, U.S. Navy; director of research, Department of Homeland Security; technical director and chief scientist, Department of Navy's Office of Naval Research; associate laboratory director, at Argonne National Laboratory; and senior advisor for science and technology, Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

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