DOD CIO Names ASCEND Challenge Winners

Three university teams were named winners of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Aligned Skills Curriculum and Experiential Network Design (ASCEND) challenge competition. The winning proposals were selected to help shape future national cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) workforce training programs.

Under the Trump administration, the DOD was rebranded as the Department of War.

The winners are Holly Yuan and Brandon Cross of the University of Wisconsin-Stout; Brian Scavotto of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; and Amith Kamath Belman of San Jose State University.

The DOD Chief Information Officer (CIO) hosted the finale of its ASCEND “Shark Tank”-style competition on May 1, where five finalist teams presented proposals aimed at revolutionizing the nation’s cyber workforce to a panel of DOD experts.

According to officials, the ASCEND challenge is a key component of a broader strategic initiative to accelerate the development of innovative educational models in AI and cybersecurity.

The challenge is designed to create a fast-track path for pioneering agile and cutting-edge educational approaches, moving away from traditionally lengthy curriculum development timelines.

The three winners were awarded $1,000 cash prizes. Their proposals will serve as the foundation for a formal DOD solicitation to develop scalable learning frameworks that can be delivered through academic institutions nationwide.

Participation in the competition was limited to institutions designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, rather than the broader academic community.