By Alexxis Hutchinson
As a public university deeply integrated with local industry partners and defense agencies, ODU has remained focused on research and has invested in significant updates in security for its research operations, personnel and facilities in recent years.Old Dominion University has been selected as a 2021 finalist for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency's (DCSA) Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence (CI). ODU is one of five finalists that advanced through a competitive selection process out of approximately 10,000 cleared companies and institutions falling under the National Industrial Security Program (NISP).
"ODU has committed to being a premier research institution that values the security of our research data," said David Flanagan, director of secure research and regulated activities for ODU. "We have worked very hard in developing relationships in our region and are proud of our contribution to the research security community."
DCSA is conducting a multi-stage selection process to identify winners based on the assessment of CI/Insider Threat Reports and other significant actions that detected and countered foreign intelligence activities such as actions that led to disruptions, prosecutions, convictions, debarments and administrative actions.
NISP will select finalists and a winner later this year. "We are proud to be recognized by DCSA for our security excellence," Flanagan said. "This recognition reflects ODU's unwavering commitment to protecting our research, our faculty and staff, and our technology and solutions."