SU set to host national symposium on information assurance

SU set to host national symposium on information assuranceMay 03, 2002Jonathan Hayjhay@syr.edu

Many of the nation’s foremost scientists, engineers, industry leaders and government officials who conduct research and work in the field of information assurance will gather on campus May 14 and 15 for the Critical Infrastructure and Information Assurance (CIIA) Symposium. The invitation-only symposium will explore major issues in critical information assurance from multiple perspectives.

“This symposium not only focuses attention on the technical and research aspects of information assurance, but also on the impact information assurance has on society,” says Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah A. Freund.

The opportunities provided by the symposium are supportive of the University’s Academic Plan SPIRE in Information Management and Technology, which recognizes the University’s strength in information exploitation, systems assurance, digital literacy, organizational design and performance, and the ways information facilitates social transformation.

James T. Dillon, New York state’s chief information officer (CIO), is scheduled to kick-off the symposium with a keynote speech May 14 at 8:45 a.m. in the Watson Theater, located in Watson Hall. In addition to Dillon’s keynote, the symposium will feature five sessions that focus on specific areas that illustrate the wide reach of information assurance. The sessions, all held in Watson Theater, will feature plenary speeches and panel discussions with five of the nation’s top researchers in information assurance.

William J. Malik, director of risk and advisory services at KPMG, will lead the first session, “Industry and Finance,” at 10 a.m. on May 14. William A. Wulf, president of the National Academy of Engineering, will lead the second session, “Research,” at 1:30 p.m. on May 14. Anita Jones, former director of defense research and engineering for the Department of Defense, will lead the third session, “Military and Intelligence,” at 3:15 p.m. on May 14.

Eugene H. Spafford, director of the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security at Purdue University, will lead the fourth session, “Education,” at 8:30 a.m. on May 15. David Goldston, chief of staff for the House Science Committee, will lead the fifth session, “Legislative Government and Law Enforcement,” at 10:15 a.m. on May 15.

“It is gratifying to see that some of the top minds in information assurance would show their respect for the work being done at Syracuse University by taking their valuable time to present at this symposium,” says Shiu-Kai Chin, director of the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Computer Applications and Software Engineering (CASE) at Syracuse University.

Steve Chapin, director of the University’s Center for Systems Assurance, hopes the symposium will open the participants minds to synergies in information assurance research that they might not think exist.

“I think a lot of people are working on the same issues without knowing it,” Chapin says. “This symposium is designed to create a real open dialogue so that all the participants will leave with an understanding of where the community of information assurance is going.”

Edward A. Bogucz, dean of the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, feels that the collaborative nature of the symposium fits perfectly with the University’s current and future vision for their programs in information assurance.

“There is a national need to focus on the fundamental science and engineering for system assurance, education of information system professionals in system assurance, and facilitating the transition of assurance technology and methodology into practice,” says Bogucz. “I believe the University can advance system assurance by providing a natural focus for collaboration among Syracuse University faculty and external partners. Our efforts to improve system assurance will comprise three major areas: research, education, and technology transfer.”