Last Updated on June 28, 2026 11:08 am
BOONE — From securing small businesses against cyberthreats to building a resilient workforce, App State's 2026 Chancellor's Innovation Scholars awards are funding two vital faculty-led projects to support the skilled building trades in Western North Carolina and launch a cybersecurity clinic in Hickory.
Two faculty-led projects have been awarded grants of up to $25,000 each as part of App State's 2026 Chancellor's Innovation Scholars Program.
Trades Pathways Initiative
Dr. Andrew Windham, associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, is spearheading the Trades Pathways Initiative — focused on supporting the skilled building trades workforce across Western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative
Christopher W. Taylor '09 '11, practitioner-in-residence in the Walker College of Business' Department of Computer Information Systems, is leading the Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative, which includes launching a cybersecurity clinic in Hickory aimed at helping small businesses defend against cyberthreats.
📷 Dr. Andrew Windham (left) and Christopher W. Taylor (right). Photo by Chase Reynolds / App State University Communications
