Nebraska Leads Cybersecurity for $24.5M AI Project
Students and researchers at participating institutions will gain access to shared AI, data, and computing services through the FabAID project.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Financial Aid
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will lead cybersecurity for the Fabric For AI-driven Science (FabAID) research project, which the National Science Foundation will fund with $24.5 million over five years. FabAID is operated by the Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and aims to connect AI, data, and computing services to research programs across the United States.
Why it matters
The project aims to give researchers shared access to data, AI tools, and computing services, which could make research work easier to carry out at participating universities. Nebraska's role reflects the Holland Computing Center's prior cyberinfrastructure work for national research platforms.
The National Science Foundation will provide $24.5 million to FabAID over five years. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is responsible for cybersecurity, and the Holland Computing Center will design and implement its security practices.
The players
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
A public research university in Lincoln, Nebraska, leading cybersecurity for FabAID.
Morgridge Institute for Research
A private research institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that operates FabAID.
National Science Foundation
The federal agency providing $24.5 million in funding to FabAID over five years.
The details
FabAID is designed to connect universities and research programs in the United States to shared AI, data, and computational services. The Holland Computing Center at UNL will supply the cyberinfrastructure needed to keep the fabric running and will design and implement its security practices. The Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison operates the project.
Timeline
The NSF funding period for FabAID runs for five years.
Education Landscape
The FabAID award follows the Holland Computing Center's prior cyberinfrastructure work for the National Research Platform and the Institute for Research and Innovation in Software for High Energy Physics. It reflects a broader pattern of universities taking on shared national research infrastructure roles as federal science funding is directed toward AI and data services.
Students and researchers at participating institutions may gain access to shared AI, data, and computing services through FabAID over the five-year funding period. Students interested in research assistant or project-based roles can ask their department or the Holland Computing Center about opportunities as the fabric develops.
The takeaway
Federal research funding can create shared infrastructure that gives students access to advanced computing and data tools. Students interested in these opportunities can ask their academic department about participation in such projects.
Further reading
For context on how research funding and grants reach students and institutions, explore Financial Aid.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nebraska Public Media.
