Campus IoT collaboration and governance using the NIST cybersecurity framework

West Texas A&M University established a strategic initiative to develop the Internet of Things across its 176-acre campus that connects more than 42 different buildings, including 11 residence halls and a 2,393-acre working ranch that is dedicated to faculty and student research in agriculture, livestock, crop and land management, and the development and research of wind energy. The University has recently adopted the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, which is now used by 30 percent of U.S. organizations and is projected to reach 50 percent by 2020 [1]. This security policy framework, combined with a new information security governance model, has enabled the University to embark on other IoT initiatives that relate to mobile and wireless communications such as smart-connected transportation, smart-connected parking, and the deployment of a LoRaWAN network to support faculty research projects. Through these IoT initiatives, West Texas A&M University will be able to transfer its insights and ideas to other similar regions in the nation, and even beyond our national borders.