“ The WVSU Cybersecurity Clinic’ s primary mission is to develop a skilled, diverse and ethically grounded cybersecurity workforce through real-world, service-oriented training,” says Dr. Ali Al-Sinayyid, director of the Google Cybersecurity Clinic and Cyber Security Innovation Center and assistant professor of computer science at WVSU.“ Our clinic bridges the gap between academic learning and professional readiness by enabling students to provide cybersecurity support to underserved local entities.”
At the clinic, students complete hands-on projects, including penetration testing, security awareness training and policy development, all supervised by faculty and Google mentors.
“ Currently, there are nearly 450,000 cybersecurity jobs available in the U. S., and demand for cyber professionals is projected to grow 32 % by 2033,” Al-Sinayyid says.“ By offering practical, community-embedded experiences, we are preparing students to step directly into high-demand roles with tangible impact.”
The clinic integrates AI tools for threat detection, anomaly analysis and automated response simulations. Students also train in the CyberHive lab, housed in WVSU’ s Cybersecurity Innovation Center, which replicates industrial control systems and integrates AI-based monitoring.
Al-Sinayyid says AI is both a complement and a catalyst for transformation in the cybersecurity field.
“ Our goal is to cultivate adaptive thinkers who can collaborate with AI, not compete against it,” he says. •
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