Targeted Infusion Project: Enhancing the Undergraduate Computing Curriculum by Infusing Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Concepts

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The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Alabama State University seeks to enhance the computing curriculum by integrating cybersecurity and digital forensics concepts. Undergraduate students are involved in the project as researchers.This project has the objectives to: adapt methods for cybersecurity training in computing courses and integrate cybersecurity concepts in existing courses; create a new course on digital forensics; develop and test instructional materials; design and develop a cyber range; use war-gaming to teach cybersecurity concepts; collect and analyze achievement of outcome based on student and industry feedback; support faculty development in cybersecurity; and guide students to obtain cybersecurity certification. This project will enhance understanding of how cybersecurity and digital forensics concepts can be integrated within a classroom environment and translate into a framework of pedagogy and materials relevant and enabling for teaching computer science. The project will directly benefit about 300 students and is designed to improve the quality of STEM education, thus increasing the minority STEM talent pool of rigorously prepared students for the workforce, graduate or professional school. The project will be guided by an external evaluator, as well as internal and external advisory committees.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.