The University of South Florida (USF) is expanding its national security footprint by launching a new secure cloud infrastructure designed to scale defense and aerospace-focused research, fast-track advanced technology pipelines, and train skilled graduates for careers across the defense infrastructure.
Through a new collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), USF has become the first academic institution in Florida to implement an upgraded Secure Research Environment (SRE). This compliance-hardened cloud computing platform significantly enhances USF’s technical framework to compete for U.S. Department of Defense-funded research grants and contracts.
The specialized AWS cloud infrastructure integrates critical access to digital engineering platforms, high-performance computing (HPC) nodes, advanced data analytics tools, and multi-domain modeling and simulation environments. This allows academic teams to rapidly prototype, test, and deploy software and hardware solutions engineered for mission-critical defense challenges, providing a highly secure sandbox optimized for projects involving classified or controlled unclassified information (CUI).
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“The pace of global threats isn’t slowing down and neither can the pace of innovation,” said Kim Majerus, vice president of Global Education and Local Government at Amazon Web Services. “With its proximity to SOCOM, established Army Research Lab partnerships and a commitment to preparing the next generation of technical leaders, USF is building an enduring engine of defense innovation and AWS is proud to power the secure cloud infrastructure behind it.”
USF maintains active contracts with the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), headquartered nearby at MacDill Air Force Base, alongside the U.S. Army Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory. These partnerships support a wide array of interdisciplinary research tracks, including advanced cybersecurity, biotechnology, and energy sciences. Among the university’s recent operational achievements is the development of a specialized radio-frequency training device engineered to help field soldiers detect and identify adversaries utilizing real-time electromagnetic signals.
“America’s strategic advantage depends on how quickly we can transform research and ideas into operational capability,” said Taylor Johnston, CEO of the USF Institute of Applied Engineering. “By working with AWS, USF has the opportunity to build one of the nation’s leading secure research ecosystems – accelerating defense innovation, preparing the next generation of technical leaders and strengthening both Florida’s economy and our national security. This partnership is about creating enduring capability for the country, not simply advancing technology.”