Jacksonville University will design and deliver a four-week professional development program teaching artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to Duval County middle and high school educators, as part of a new federally funded regional coalition.
The University is a partner in CyberJaxAI-PATH: Cyber AI Pathways for K-12 Education, a project supported by a three-year National Security Agency award of more than $720,000, in collaboration with the University of North Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville, and Duval County Public Schools.
The project integrates AI literacy and AI-driven cybersecurity concepts into classroom curricula across the region, and builds pathways for students to continue into college programs and careers in both fields.
Jacksonville University contributes expertise in cybersecurity education, curriculum design, and K-12 outreach through the JU Center for Cybersecurity and the JU Cyber Range. The University's scope covers three areas: delivering the teacher professional development program, supporting collaborative curriculum design and assessment, and providing in-classroom engagement through faculty-led visits and experiential learning.
“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,” said Dr. Lisa Sutherland, Jacksonville University’s Interim President. “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 program blends self-paced online coursework with intensive in-person instruction, equipping teachers with the knowledge, hands-on skills and teaching strategies to bring AI and cybersecurity content into their classrooms. Optional components will help participants prepare for the Florida Teacher Certification Examination in Computer Science K-12. The project builds on Jacksonville University’s growing investment in AI and cybersecurity education, including an AI concentration within its Computer Science program and AI Engineering courses.
“We cannot prepare students for tomorrow’s careers using yesterday’s curriculum,” said Dr. Mini Zeng, director of Jacksonville University’s School of Engineering and Technology and associate professor of computing science and cybersecurity. “By training teachers and engaging students, we can expand AI and cybersecurity literacy across Northeast Florida while strengthening the future workforce pipeline.”
Dr. Zeng serves as Jacksonville University's lead principal investigator. Dr. Saeed Al-Haj, associate professor of cybersecurity, and Dr. Reza Sarraf, associate professor of computing science, serve as co-principal investigators and will contribute to curriculum design and development and help facilitate the teacher training program.
