Inside DOD’s Push to Grow the Cyber Workforce Through Academia
Diba Hadi, Principal Director, CAEO, DOD
In her first interview since becoming Principal Director of the Defense Department’s Cyber Academic Engagement Office (CAEO), Diba Hadi reflects on her role and vision for the office since stepping into the position in 2024 during the 2025 HammerCON conference in Laurel, Maryland.
Hadi shares insights into her day-to-day responsibilities and highlights efforts to strengthen the integration of universities into the Centers of Academic Excellence community. Her goal: to develop cyber talent aligned with the Defense Department’s evolving workforce needs.
She explores how improved data collection, interagency collaboration and smarter resource allocation can streamline reporting processes and support broader DOD hiring objectives. Hadi also discusses key initiatives, including scholarships, research partnerships and capacity-building grants, that bring together academia, industry and government to build cyber capabilities at their source.
-
Diba Hadi Principal Director, CAEO DOD
-
NEA Leverages AI to Drive Software Development
NEA CIO Jim Tunnessen discusses AI-assisted software development, modernization, cybersecurity and responsible AI adoption across government.
7m watch -
VA OIG CIO Outlines AI Deployment, Modernization Priorities
As the VA's internal watchdog, the OIG is using AI to improve oversight while monitoring how emerging technologies are adopted across the agency.
11m listen -
Agile Acquisition Becomes DISA's New Battlefield Advantage
DODNet leaders say 90-day OTA cycles and flexible engineering models are helping DISA deliver capabilities at the speed of cyber threats.
17m watch -
War Department Details Post-Quantum Cryptography Roadmap
The Pentagon is accelerating PQC adoption across military networks, weapons systems and the defense industrial base under a new strategy.
4m read
