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Cyber-Research Initiative

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Rendering of DSU’s Applied Research Lab (ARL) in Sioux Falls, SD.

Changing the Landscape

Dakota State University plans to grow the cyber-research industry in the state through a multi-party public/private partnership that will expand DSU’s Applied Research Lab to Sioux Falls and increase DSU’s educational capacity in Madison to produce more graduates of The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences.

Top Priorities

a building on the DSU campus

In Madison

  • Continue to fill DSU's ARL in Madison to 125-150 full-time jobs.
  • Increase DSU's capacity to double the number of graduates of The Beacom College from 200 to 400 annually by recruiting and retaining faculty, students, and staff.
  • Expand the cyber talent pipeline and career pathways by launching the Governor's Cyber Academy to offer dual credit programs to high school students statewide.

a group of staff members standing in front of a Cyber-Research Industry sign

In Sioux Falls

  • Expand DSU-ARL with a highly specialized facility which will be owned by the State via the Board of Regents and DSU. This facility is expected to open in fall of 2025 and support 400 to 500 full-time jobs.
  • Establish a non-profit corporation to hire DSU-ARL staff to perform and manage the applied research and lease space from DSU, both in Madison and Sioux Falls.
  • The new non-profit corporation will also run intensive summer cybersecurity bootcamps for students from other universities in South Dakota majoring in cyber-related disciplines such as computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, etc. These are anticipated to start in summer 2023.

South Dakota Governor Noem signing bills for cyber research

The public/private partnerships

  • $50 million over five years from philanthropist T. Denny Sanford to construct a highly specialized facility to house the expanded DSU-ARL in Sioux Falls with an estimated completion date of fall 2025.
  • 10 to 16 acres of land donated by Sanford Health at the Sanford Sports Complex adjacent to Sanford's Virtual Care Center.
  • $10 million from the city of Sioux Falls* to create the physical, organizational, and programmatic infrastructure needed for the DSU-ARL in Sioux Falls.
  • $250,000 from Forward Sioux Falls for planning a Cyber/IT Park in Sioux Falls.
  • $30 million from the State of South Dakota proposed by Governor Noem in her FY23 budget request.* This will expand the educational capacity of The Beacom College in Madison to double the number of graduates from 200 to 400 per year and to launch the Governor's Cyber Academy statewide to all high schools.
  • Execution of Plan will be done by Dakota State University and the South Dakota Board of Regents.