Hi Matan,

 

Here is a copy of the email I sent to Ben-Gurion University (BGU) Cyber Excellence Center.  To date, I have received no response.  Perhaps everyone has been away on holiday.

 

Best,

Andrew

 

 

Dear Cyber@BGU,

 

Greetings from the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, DC!  Could you please route this email to an appropriate representative at the Cyber Security Research Center @ Ben-Gurion University of the Negev?  I would like to request an opportunity to visit BGU's Cyber Excellence Center in Beer Sheva on Thursday, October 31st, in anticipation of a possible Eisenhower student visit next spring (18-24 April 2020).  Last April, a group led by my Department Chair, Col Sean O’Brien, USAF, visited your center, and we would like to send another group in 2020.

 

At the Eisenhower School, I teach a course called the Cyber Domain/Advanced Computing Industry Study (the 'Cyber IS’).  We teach mid-career U.S. and international military officers (O5-O6), U.S. government civilians, and corporate executives who are pursuing a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy.  In the future, many of these rising strategic leaders will play a role in acquiring new systems, influencing policy development, and resourcing national security strategies.  (As an example, last spring, one of my students was an Israeli colonel, and now he has returned to Israel to take a division command and be promoted to brigadier general.)

 

My course is about industry, innovation, and resourcing, and this year, we will have four focus areas:

- Cybersecurity/cyberspace operations

- Artificial intelligence (AI)

- Advanced computing (quantum and neuromorphic)

- Telecommunications (esp. 5G)

 

We are very interested in the relationships and actions among government, industry, and academic institutions that promote innovation, corporate and industrial competitiveness, and economic growth—especially as they relate to the technology and communications industries.  Experiential learning is a big part of the course, and we always take the students on the road to visit firms and agencies in the United States and abroad.  This year, are planning to visit Austin, Texas, the Silicon Valley in California, and Israel.

 

We are interested in visiting your cyber center to learn more about your operations, capabilities, research, and collaboration with industry and government.  A 2- or 2.5-hour student visit during the period 18-24 April would give them a chance to compare and contrast Israeli and American approaches to education, training, and collaboration related to the four areas listed above, since they will be visiting a number of firms, agencies, and academic institutions in the United States and Israel.

 

My primary request is to visit your Cyber Excellence Center in Beer Sheva on Thursday, October 31st.  I will likely be visiting the National CERT on the same day, since I have heard the CERT is nearby.  The purpose of the October meeting would be to get acquainted, help me become more familiar with your center, and discuss options for a future student visit in April. 

 

Fortunately, both visits to Israel are supported by the International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) of the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD)—my interlocutor is Mr. Barry Zebrak at SIBAT (Regional Director, North America; barry_zebrak@mod.gov.il; T: +972-3-697-6586).  We are also receiving excellent support from the Israel National Defense College (esp. LTC Matan Or, ormatan@mail.gov.il).

 

At your earliest convenience, please let me know if it would be possible to visit on the 31^st, and if so, please advise me how to reach the appropriate contact.  (If I have misdirected this email, please advise me of that too.)

 

Thank you very much for your assistance!

 

Best regards,

Andrew

 

ANDREW H. NICHOLS, Colonel, USAF

Assistant Professor, National Security and Industrial Base

Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy 

National Defense University

 

Eisenhower Hall (Bldg. 59), Room 415

andrew.h.nichols.mil@ndu.edu

Office:  (202) 685-4319