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VeriSign, Inc. today announced the expansion of a grant program designed to promote cutting-edge research into strengthening and improving the Internet's global infrastructure. This year's program will focus specifically on fostering infrastructure improvements that support safe and secure Internet access for users around the globe, especially in the developing world.

In July 2012 Verisign will award two $200,000 grants to the researchers who submit the most compelling proposals focused on the infrastructural and access challenges facing developers, service providers and most importantly, users in the developing world and elsewhere. The 2012 grants represent a continuation and expansion of a successful grants program that concluded in October 2011. Full details of the grant program, including details on how to apply, are available at www.verisigninc.com/grants.

"The continuing success of the Internet's global expansion will hinge on the existence of robust, secure and constantly improving core infrastructure," said Dr. Burt Kaliski, Jr., senior vice president and chief technology officer of Verisign. "Verisign has always been committed to upholding the stability and security of the Internet and is proud to support the research that will keep the infrastructure strong for the next billion Internet users in the developing world."

Verisign launched the Infrastructure Grant Program in 2010 to coincide with a yearlong celebration of the 25th Anniversary of .Com. In the inaugural program, Verisign awarded four $75,000 grants (for a total of $300,000) to university researchers to support compelling infrastructure research projects. That program concluded in October 2011, when the four winning researchers presented their findings at a grant symposium at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Building off of the success of the inaugural program, Verisign has both increased the size and narrowed the focus of the grants in 2012, soliciting research that focuses on the infrastructural and access challenges faced by users in the developing world and elsewhere.

To judge the grant submissions, and determine the final grant awardees, Verisign is assembling a blue ribbon panel of experts who have played leading roles in developing the policies and technology that have supported the Internet's growth. The full list of judges will be posted in the coming weeks.

Verisign will announce the winners of the 2012 Infrastructure grants in summer 2012.

About Verisign

Verisign, Inc. is the trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world. Billions of times each day, Verisign helps companies and consumers all over the world connect online with confidence. (Learn More)

Related topics: Access Providers, Security