PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (October 13, 2025) — A new National Science Foundation (NSF) award of more than $500,000 is propelling Prairie View A&M University’s leadership in cybersecurity research and education, led by Mohamed F. Chouikha, Ph.D., Chief Scientist and Executive Director of the SECURE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, with co-principal investigator Annamalai Annamalai, Ph.D., also of PVAMU.
Mohamed Chouikha, Ph.D.
The funded project, “Improving the Integrity and Security of Integrated Circuits Through Effective Detection of Malicious Alterations,” focuses on developing advanced methods to detect and prevent hardware-level cyber threats. Integrated circuits are the foundational components of modern digital systems, and ensuring their security is vital to protecting critical infrastructure, defense systems, and everyday technology.
This NSF award enhances PVAMU’s research capabilities, expanding opportunities for faculty and students to engage in high-impact, interdisciplinary work that supports national security priorities. It will also help the university strengthen its STEM pipeline by preparing the next generation of engineers and cybersecurity experts to lead in safeguarding digital systems.
For PVAMU, this grant represents more than funding—it reflects growing national recognition of the university’s research excellence and its expanding role in driving technological advancement. Through the SECURE Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, PVAMU continues to build research capacity, foster innovation, and contribute solutions to the most pressing cybersecurity challenges of our time.
By Joe McGinty