Collaborative Research: A Northeast Partnership for Developing the Information Assurance Workforce

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Computer Science (31)This collaborative project focuses on digital forensics in the context of law enforcement investigations of Internet-related child sexual exploitation crimes. The project includes collaboration on curricula exchanges, information assurance seminars, mentoring, research projects (involving undergraduate students), and in the running of Federal, State University Forensics Exchange (F-SAFE) workshops.Intellectual Merit: Problems in forensics and information assurance in general are addressed by advancing three key objectives towards workforce development involving (i) faculty and institutional development, (ii) outreach to diverse populations, and (iii) a partnership between the academy and law enforcement. The goal is to ensure that faculty from a broad range of institutions benefit. This synergistic, multi-disciplinary collaboration cultivates faculty expertise in security and forensics by leveraging shared research agendas, collaborative course development, joint seminars, multidisciplinary exchange, peer mentoring, and professional contacts with law enforcement. The collaboration brings together faculty with expertise in computer security and privacy, forensics, networking, databases, cyber-crime, criminal justice and investigations, and Internet-related child sexual exploitation crimes, including research about law enforcement responses and evaluation of law enforcement training programs. The project draws from computer science, criminology, and sociology and includes both technical and social science research. Broader Impacts: The collaboration enables a clear path for undergraduates to complete their graduate work in computer science at partner institutions. The FSAFE partnership includes the collaborating universities, the Massachusetts State Police, the New York State Police, and the DoJ Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. By working together, exchanging experiences and knowledge, these communities can make much greater progress. This is a key aspect of faculty development, as gaining a real-work perspective not only influences research but improves the ability of teachers to educate the next generation of professionals and researchers.