USF advances national security research, becoming first in Florida to implement new secure cloud infrastructure powered by Amazon Web Services

The University of South Florida is strengthening its position as a national security innovation hub through a new secure cloud infrastructure that will expand defense and aerospace-focused research, accelerate technology development and prepare students for careers supporting national security.

Through a new collaboration with Amazon Web Services, USF will become the first institution in Florida to launch an upgraded Secure Research Environment - a compliance and security enabled cloud computing environment that further enhances USF's ability to compete for U.S. Department of War-funded research.
The AWS infrastructure includes access to modern digital engineering, modeling and simulation, high-performance computing and data analytics capabilities. It allows researchers to rapidly prototype, test and deploy technologies that tackle mission-critical defense challenges and support projects involving classified information.

"The pace of global threats isn't slowing down and neither can the pace of innovation," said Kim Majerus, vice president of Global Education and Local Government at Amazon Web Services. "With its proximity to SOCOM, established Army Research Lab partnerships and a commitment to preparing the next generation of technical leaders, USF is building an enduring engine of defense innovation and AWS is proud to power the secure cloud infrastructure behind it."

USF is under contract with U.S. Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, and the Army Research Lab to conduct a range of research, including cybersecurity, biotechnology and energy sciences. One of its most recent projects includes developing a training device that allows soldiers to identify adversaries through electromagnetic signals.

"America's strategic advantage depends on how quickly we can transform research and ideas into operational capability," said Taylor Johnston, CEO of the USF Institute of Applied Engineering. "By working with AWS, USF has the opportunity to build one of the nation's leading secure research ecosystems - accelerating defense innovation, preparing the next generation of technical leaders and strengthening both Florida's economy and our national security. This partnership is about creating enduring capability for the country, not simply advancing technology."

In addition to advancing research, the initiative will help strengthen workforce development by providing students hands-on experience with cloud computing and other digital engineering tools that are increasingly in demand across the defense industry.

About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

About Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is guided by customer obsession, pace of innovation, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. By democratizing technology for nearly two decades and making cloud computing and generative AI accessible to organizations of every size and industry, AWS has built one of the fastest-growing enterprise technology businesses in history. Millions of customers trust AWS to accelerate innovation, transform their businesses, and shape the future. With the most comprehensive AI capabilities and global infrastructure footprint, AWS empowers builders to turn big ideas into reality. Learn more at aws.amazon.com and follow @AWSNewsroom.