On the second floor of Lafferre Hall, Mizzou Engineering faculty and students are building the technology of tomorrow.

The team at the Cyber Education, Research and Infrastructure (CERI) Center, under the direction of Professor Prasad Calyam, investigates topics such as cloud-edge computing, artificial intelligence and cyber security. And our undergrads are at the center of the action.

The center also hosts a “Hacker Tracker Training” every summer that teaches middle and high school students about coding and cyber defense. Their work aligns well with MizzouForward’s commitment to discovering new frontiers in science, engineering and technologies.

I enjoyed visiting the CERI Center with Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs John Middleton and Dean Noah Manring. Professor Calyam and his students showed us some of their exciting projects, such as the Mizzou CAVE – a virtual reality system for expert decision making and immersive learning funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The applications of this technology are nearly endless. For example, a simulated disaster scenario could help train first responders. Mizzou CAVE is the only virtual reality system of its kind in the region and is part of a cross-campus collaboration with the College of Engineering, School of Information Science & Learning Technologies and Department of Architectural Studies.

Professor Calyam and his team are developing an impressive and impactful center at Mizzou. We appreciate his strong mentorship of both undergraduate and graduate students.

— Mun