U.S. Department of Energy awards Dr. Helen Lou $2M for new cybersecurity center

Dr. Helen Lou, Professor of Chemical Engineering, has received $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to create the Center for Data Analytics and Cybersecurity at Lamar University.  The project aims to advance digital capacity and enhancement of cybersecurity and resiliency for industrial operations.   

Lamar University is taking a significant step towards enhancing the security of the U.S. energy infrastructure with the establishment of a Center for Data Analytics and Cybersecurity.  This initiative comes in response to the increasing reliance of the energy, petrochemical, and port industries on digital technologies, which, while promising cost savings and improved operational performance, also present new challenges in the form of cyber threats. 

“We will seek input from the industry to see how this center can better serve the community,” Dr. Lou said.  “This project is a collaboration among the College of Engineering, Computer Science and the College of Business.”  

To foster knowledge exchange and skill development, the center will organize seminars, workshops, training sessions and symposiums.  The main goal is to provide the necessary tools and workforce to enable these industries to achieve safer, more resilient, and economically viable operations in both physical and virtual spaces.   

Dr. Lou has deep knowledge and experience in both industrial and computer science worlds due to her educational background in obtaining a Master of Science in Computer Science as well as a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Wayne State University.  She recently led a project, funded by the National Science Foundation, focused on cybersecurity in critical energy and chemical infrastructure, providing the foundation for her continued research in these vital areas. 

To learn more about the Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering or Dr. Lou, please visit https://www.lamar.edu/engineering/chemical/index.html.