Expansion of the CyberWatch West Resource Center

保持计算机和信息系统的安全是一个关键的需求和主要的挑战。为了满足这一需求，企业、行业和政府需要准备充分的技术人员来预防、检测和调查网络安全漏洞。网络威胁的增长催生了对更多具备保护数字基础设施所需知识和技能的员工的需求。2018年，NSF资助了CyberWatch西部资源中心作为先进技术教育（ATE）资源中心，以支持全国两年制大学的网络安全教育（NSF Award du -1800589）。2019年，新资源中心的资金水平提高到165万美元（NSF 18-571）。有了这份新合同，网络观察西部资源中心将作为ATE资源中心获得全额资助，使该中心能够扩大其活动范围。具体而言，网络观察西部资源中心将扩大其指导工作，帮助更多的大学建立和加强其网络安全项目。该中心还将开发额外的课程资源，开展额外的教育活动，向学生介绍网络安全方面的职业，并将他们与雇主进行匹配。扩大后的中心将开展四项相互关联的工作，以补充和/或扩大先前资助的活动：(1)为希望实施和改进网络安全教育计划的教育工作者和潜在受资助者提供指导、技术援助和领导力培训；(2)转换、整合和传播网络安全课程（包括通过社区学院催化计算和网络安全项目开发的模块，NSF奖DGE-1548315），以可访问的格式与常见的在线学习管理系统集成；(3)与企业和行业合作，提供可获得学分的网络安全培训模块，满足小企业现有员工的需求，适合大学课程，并与国家网络安全教育框架倡议的工作角色保持一致；(4)举办虚拟招聘会，运营在线求职板，广泛传播就业机会，直接将学生与潜在雇主联系起来。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge. To meet this need, business, industry, and government need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills needed to protect digital infrastructure. In 2018, NSF funded the CyberWatch West Resource Center as an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Resource Center to support cybersecurity education at two-year colleges across the nation (NSF Award DUE-1800589). In 2019, the funding level for new Resource Centers was raised to $1.65 million (NSF 18-571). With this new award, the CyberWatch West Resource Center will be fully funded as an ATE resource center, enabling the Center to expand the scope of its activities. Specifically, the CyberWatch West Resource Center will expand its mentoring efforts to help more colleges build and strengthen their cybersecurity programs. The Center will also develop additional curricular resources and conduct additional educational activities to inform students about careers in cybersecurity and match them with employers.The expanded Center will undertake four interrelated efforts that complement and/or expand the previously funded activities: (1) provide mentoring, technical assistance, and leadership training to educators and prospective grantees who want to implement and improve cybersecurity education programs; (2) convert, consolidate, and disseminate cybersecurity curricula (including modules developed through the Catalyzing Computing and Cybersecurity in Community Colleges project, NSF Award DGE-1548315) in accessible formats that integrate with common online learning management systems; (3) partner with business and industry to provide credit-bearing cybersecurity training modules that meet the needs of current employees in small businesses, fit into college curricula, and are aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Framework's work roles; and (4) host virtual career fairs and operate an online job board, which will broadly disseminate employment opportunities and directly connect students with prospective employers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.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.