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Jackson State University receives $2 Million grant from Entergy Charitable Foundation to establish Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab

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JACKSON, Miss., Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Jackson State University (JSU) is the recipient of a $2 million grant from the Entergy Charitable Foundation to help fund the creation of the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab. During a press conference at the University on Monday, Oct. 7, Entergy officials presented JSU President Marcus Thompson, Ph.D., with a big check to celebrate the occasion.

This advanced initiative between Jackson State and Entergy will create an innovation hub to help train a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce to meet the growing needs of nuclear, electric, and natural gas companies, and electrical cooperatives.

“I am honored to receive this generous grant on behalf of Jackson State University. This gift will have a lasting impact on the lives of our students and the future of the energy sector,” said Thompson. “Looking ahead, this lab will not only benefit Jackson State University and our students, but it will also play a critical role in shaping the broader energy landscape.”

Local, community, and political leaders were present during the event, including Rep. Bennie Thompson, whom the president thanked for his enduring support of Jackson State, describing him as a long-time champion of the HBCU.

The Power Grid Security Lab Project will be a cornerstone of JSU’s commitment to workforce development, energy infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The lab will provide students with real-world experience safeguarding critical power grid infrastructure. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and aggressive, the importance of a robust defense system in the energy sector cannot be over-emphasized.

“Whether using computers to earn a college degree or checking out at the grocery store, electricity isn’t a luxury for most people; it’s a necessity. And so is thwarting cyber threats in the energy sector,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “The robust growth in our company and the state is providing extraordinary opportunities to help build a diverse and skilled workforce in the cybersecurity field. Through this partnership, we’re investing in local talent and competing to keep them here. For more than 100 years, we’ve served communities alongside Jackson State University, and we’re proud to continue powering the bright minds they produce.”

The lab aims to equip students with valuable technical skills and contribute significantly to society by fostering a workforce prepared to protect vital national infrastructure.

The cybersecurity workforce gap has also become a pressing issue, as the demand for skilled professionals far exceeds the available supply. (ISC)², a global cybersecurity certification body, reported a shortage of approximately 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide in 2022, with over 700,000 job openings in the U.S. alone. This shortfall poses a significant challenge to national security and the economy as organizations struggle to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

In response, Jackson State University is evolving its cybersecurity education curriculum and resources to bridge this gap.

“The establishment of the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab at Jackson State University is truly a game-changer for our students,” said Wilbur Walters, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology. “Having access to a facility such as this means our students won’t just be learning about cybersecurity—they’ll be directly engaging with the same challenges that professionals are facing in the energy sector today. This hands-on experience makes their education more relevant and impactful. It’s about evolving our curriculum to not only keep pace with the fast-changing tech world but also to ensure our students graduate ready to make a tangible difference.”

The cybersecurity industry has experienced significant growth and transformation over the past decade, primarily driven by the increasing prevalence of digital technology and the corresponding rise in cyber threats. According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs are expected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015, highlighting the escalating severity and frequency of cyberattacks. This rapid increase has underscored the critical need for a robust cybersecurity infrastructure, leading to substantial investments by the United States private and public sectors.

“At Entergy, we believe that one of our many strengths in serving our customers is the diversity of our workforce. Our partnership with Jackson State University is a testament to our commitment to creating opportunities for students and shaping the leaders of tomorrow,” said Drew Marsh, Entergy chair and CEO. “By investing in education and fostering inclusion, we are not just building a diverse workforce; we are investing in the heart of our communities where we live, work, and serve.”

Jackson State will receive the Entergy Charitable Foundation’s grant over multiple installments. The funds are exclusively for developing the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab, focusing on cybersecurity in the nuclear, energy, and natural gas sectors.

About Jackson State University

Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high-research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of Mississippi. Jackson State’s nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi’s Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, healthcare, technological and educational initiatives. The only public university in metropolitan Jackson, Jackson State is located near downtown, with four satellite locations throughout the area. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu.

About Entergy

Entergy is a Fortune 500 company that powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and connect with @Entergy on social media. #WePowerLife

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Revolune and Concept Life Sciences Partner to Help Customers Transition Multiplex IF Assays to Flexible New Workflows

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OBERKOCHEN, Germany, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Revolune today announced a partnership with Concept Life Sciences to help biopharma and life sciences customers reassess, transfer, and scale multiplex immunofluorescence assays using Revolune’s flexible staining technology, which now supports 4- to 7-plex assays. 

The collaboration addresses a growing market need as customers evaluate alternatives to existing workflows and reconsider how best to support tissue biomarker research. With Revolune now offering 4- to 7-plex assay capabilities, Concept Life Sciences can help customers transfer established assays onto the Revolune platform, preserve valuable panel know-how, and move more easily from existing workflows to flexible, ready-to-use multiplex formats. 

“Many customers are not starting from a blank page — they already have assays, panels, and tissue biomarker strategies they need to preserve while moving toward more flexible workflows,” said Adrian Arechiga, CCO of Revolune. “Concept Life Sciences brings the translational biology, biomarker, and assay development expertise needed to help customers make that transition practically and confidently.” 

Concept Life Sciences is a leading contract research organization serving the global life sciences industry, with capabilities across discovery, development, analytical services, translational biology, biomarker discovery, spatial biology, and end-to-end chemistry. By combining these capabilities with Revolune’s adaptable multiplex immunofluorescence technology, the companies aim to help customers generate decision-ready tissue biomarker insights while reducing the operational burden of assay transfer and implementation. 

The partnership is designed for research teams that want to retain the scientific value of existing workflows while gaining access to a more flexible platform for multiplex staining. Customers can work with Concept Life Sciences to evaluate assay transfer feasibility, optimize panel design, run tissue staining workflows, and connect resulting biomarker data to broader discovery and development programs. 

“We are excited to work with Revolune to support customers who are rethinking how they approach multiplex tissue analysis,” said Adam Davenport, CSO at Concept Life Sciences. “Together, we can help teams transfer existing assays, explore new panels, and apply multiplex immunofluorescence in ways that support meaningful translational decisions.” 

The Concept Life Sciences partnership forms part of Revolune’s broader strategy to build an ecosystem of partners that support adoption across different customer needs — from specialist service execution to assay migration, translational biology, and integrated R&D support.

Meet Revolune and Concept Life Sciences at SITC 2026

Revolune and Concept Life Sciences will both be attending the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting, November 4–8, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Meet both teams at SITC at Sundown, a relaxed evening of complimentary drinks, dinner and conversation hosted by Concept Life Sciences on November 6, 6.30-8.30 pm. More information: https://www.conceptlifesciences.com/campaigns/sitc-2026.

About Revolune

Revolune is a life science company dedicated to making multiplex immunofluorescence as accessible and practical as routine tissue analysis. Its reagent technologies help laboratories move rapidly from existing primary antibodies to ready-to-use multiplex kits, simplifying spatial biology workflows and enabling researchers to focus on biological questions rather than assay management. 

About Concept Life Sciences

Concept Life Sciences is a leading contract research organisation (CRO) serving the global life sciences industry. For over 25 years, the company, and its heritage companies, have provided consultative and collaborative drug discovery and development services. Our approach, supported by passionate scientists and world-leading capabilities, enables clients to overcome complex scientific challenges and improves program success rates. The company has successfully helped 29 candidates advance to the clinic.

The company offers sophisticated translational biology services coupled with exceptional end-to-end chemistry capabilities to support drug discovery and development across a range of established and emerging modalities, with the ability to seamlessly integrate capabilities and provide bespoke solutions to address client needs.

Collectively, the company’s high-quality services and commitment to customer service across the drug development pathway enhances efficiency in drug discovery, helping clients advance their drugs to clinic in as little as 32 months, well ahead of the industry average of 60 months.

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From Global Orders to Global Growth: Financial Infrastructure for Mid-Market Exporters

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At the 140th Canton Fair, PhotonPay demonstrates how its stablecoin-centric financial operating system helps growing exporters manage cross-border collections, currency conversion and global payments.

HONG KONG, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For a growing homewares exporter, a major overseas order brings opportunity, but also an immediate question: how will the business finance production, cover shipping costs and manage cash until the buyer pays?

A furniture manufacturer may need to pay suppliers weeks or months before receiving the final payment. A home décor or festive-goods exporter may be managing several seasonal orders at once, each with different delivery schedules, payment terms and currencies. As the business expands into more markets, tracking incoming payments, converting currencies and paying suppliers becomes increasingly complex.

These are everyday challenges behind international trade. At the second phase of the 140th Canton Fair, themed “Quality Home Life” and featuring furniture, kitchenware, household items, home decorations, gifts and festive products, PhotonPay is highlighting how financial infrastructure can help growing exporters manage these demands as they expand internationally.

Financial Tools for the Next Stage of Growth

Large multinational companies can draw on dedicated treasury teams, established banking relationships and sophisticated systems to manage funds across markets. Smaller businesses may have simpler payment needs. Mid-market exporters occupy a different position: their operations span multiple countries and currencies, while their finance teams often remain lean.

At the same time, production and freight costs must be covered before all customer payments arrive. Receivables may be spread across currencies and accounts, while suppliers expect payment according to their own schedules. Finance teams must track receipts, reconcile invoices and maintain a clear view of available funds.

Across multiple markets and overlapping orders, these tasks can consume significant time and complicate decisions about when and where to deploy cash. Growing exporters need practical tools to coordinate collections, manage funds across currencies and pay counterparties worldwide, without having to build a large treasury function from scratch.

Connecting Fiat and Stablecoin Rails to Global Business

Bank accounts and fiat payment networks remain central to international trade, connecting businesses to local collection methods and established banking relationships. Stablecoins offer an additional way to transfer value across borders, with transactions possible outside conventional banking hours depending on the network and transaction arrangements.

Connecting fiat and stablecoin rails can give businesses more flexibility in managing cross-border funds. For exporters, the practical value lies in connecting the stages of a cross-border financial workflow: receiving customer payments, converting currencies and making funds available for supplier payments and other business expenses.

PhotonPay is built around this connection. As a stablecoin-centric financial operating system, PhotonPay brings together a cross-border financial infrastructure across both fiat and stablecoin rails.

Its multi-asset wallet supports fiat currencies and stablecoins within a unified environment. Local collection capabilities cover 21 currencies, enabling businesses to receive payments in the currencies their customers use. Through integrated on- and off-ramp services, businesses can convert between fiat and stablecoins, while 24/7 foreign exchange allow funds to move across markets at any time. Cross-border payouts in fiat and stablecoins are available across 200+ countries and territories. Card issuing capabilities also allow companies to manage overseas business spending directly from one platform.

These capabilities connect the key stages of cross-border financial operations, and for growing exporters, this provides a more integrated way to manage international payments as their business expands.

PhotonPay also extends its infrastructure to platforms through Embedded Finance. Its APIs enable B2B platforms, marketplaces and other digital businesses to integrate financial capabilities, including accounts, fiat and stablecoin wallets, global payouts and card issuing, into their own products. This allows platforms to build collection, payment and fund management services into existing workflows and extend financial capabilities to their customers.

Financial Infrastructure That Grows With the Business

For mid-market exporters, international growth brings new customers, more markets and greater demands on financial operations. The ability to manage funds across borders needs to keep pace, supporting everything from the next production run to the next supplier payment and the next market entry.

By connecting fiat and stablecoin rails within one financial operating system, PhotonPay helps growing businesses manage cross-border funds with greater flexibility as they scale internationally.

Visit PhotonPay at Area D, Booths DT1714–DT1718, during the 140th Canton Fair.

About PhotonPay

PhotonPay is a stablecoin-powered payment operating system built for global infrastructure. Designed for modern enterprises, PhotonPay enables businesses to send, receive, convert, and settle funds across both fiat and stablecoin rails through a single, compliance-first integration, spanning 200+ countries and territories.

For more information, visit [www.photonpay.com].

Disclaimer

This material is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or investment advice, nor an offer or solicitation for any product or service. The availability, features, and regulatory treatment of PhotonPay’s products and services may vary depending on the user’s location, business model, and the laws and regulations that apply. Any descriptions of functionality, performance, efficiency, cost savings, or compliance support (including, without limitation, references to “real‑time”, “24/7”, “high‑efficiency”, or “compliant” solutions) are aspirational or forward‑looking in nature. Actual outcomes may differ due to market conditions, technological constraints, and regulatory developments, and PhotonPay makes no express or implied representation, warranty, or guarantee as to the achievement of any particular result.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/from-global-orders-to-global-growth-financial-infrastructure-for-mid-market-exporters-302920151.html

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Rockwell Automation Unveils Record-Breaking Innovation Lineup at Automation Fair 2026

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From AI-powered manufacturing and next-generation control to cybersecurity and digital engineering, Rockwell showcases technologies designed to help manufacturers build the future of industrial operations

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced an expanded product showcase for Automation Fair® 2026. Across the plant floor and enterprise, Rockwell’s latest innovations help manufacturers unlock greater productivity, simplify operations and strengthen resilience in an increasingly complex industrial environment. Together, these technologies demonstrate how AI, automation and digital transformation are reshaping the future of industrial operations.

At Automation Fair 2026, attendees will get an exclusive look at new technologies designed to help manufacturers modernize production, accelerate decision-making and scale innovation with greater confidence. The innovations span Rockwell’s automation and software portfolio showcasing practical applications that address some of the industry’s most pressing operational challenges.

“Production systems today are balancing growth, workforce challenges, cybersecurity threats and the need to adapt faster than ever before,” said Matheus Bulho, senior vice president, software & control, Rockwell Automation. “At Automation Fair 2026, we’re bringing together hardware, software and industrial intelligence in new ways, giving customers the tools to move faster, adapt with confidence and create more resilient and autonomous operations.”

Among the list of record-breaking innovative new technologies being showcased are:

LogixEdge™ Controller, enhancing the power of Logix with new form factors and seamless integration of IT and OT workloads that further amplify Logix’s powerful multidiscipline control and information capabilities, including AI workloads that enable autonomous controlCompactLogix® 5390 Controller, delivering enhanced performance and security with greater scalability for modern production system environments.PointMax™ I/O, a next-generation I/O platform designed to simplify deployment and support high-performance machine applications.Armor™ PowerFlex® 330 Integrated Drive Motor, combining motor and drive functionality in a compact solution to reduce complexity and accelerate installation.EtherNet/IP™ In-cabinet Solution, helping manufacturers simplify what it takes to construct, wire, deploy and manage industrial control systems more efficiently.FactoryTalk® Optix™ Version 1.9 and new OptixPanel™ Pro and PanelView™ Pro graphic terminals, providing expanded visualization capabilities across larger distributed systems, enhanced security and a modern operator experience.FactoryTalk® Conductor™, enabling organizations to orchestrate industrial intelligence and agentic engineering across design, operations and maintenance for their entire operations.FactoryTalk® AssetIQ™, FactoryTalk® Design Workbench™ and FactoryTalk® ResilientEdge™ software, helping customers simplify enterprise OT asset management, streamline engineering and improve resilience of edge deployments.New AI innovations for the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform™ and AI-powered Quality Management capabilities, bringing practical artificial intelligence to everyday manufacturing workflows.Expanded cybersecurity offerings, including SecureOT™ Platform Managed Services, OT Cybersecurity Assessment Suite, and capabilities designed to support OEMs in building more secure machines from the start

In addition to product announcements, attendees will have the opportunity to experience live demonstrations, engage with Rockwell Automation experts and partners and explore the innovations driving greater productivity, flexibility and resilience across manufacturing.

Registration is now open. Join thousands of industrial professionals at Automation Fair 2026 and be among the first to experience Rockwell’s latest innovations in action. Register today at automationfair.com.

About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rockwell-automation-unveils-record-breaking-innovation-lineup-at-automation-fair-2026-302907266.html

SOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.

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