CyberCorps SFS Renewal: Supporting the Federal Government Workforce

伍斯特理工学院（WPI）是国家网络防御研究学术卓越中心，提议继续参与CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）计划，以教育安全专业人员，为联邦政府工作人员提供支持。在WPI，网络安全被认为是整个大学的五个优先研究领域之一，因为它对社会至关重要。WPI的SFS计划为学生提供基于项目的学习体验，包括实践体验式学习环境以及网络安全方面的正式本科和研究生学位指定。SFS计划还为学生提供了一个队列体验，使他们能够共同探索机会，获得同伴指导，并确定丰富的专业发展机会。本项目将通过增加联邦机构聘用的高素质网络安全专业人员的数量，加强联邦网络运营的安全性。为了加强联邦网络安全劳动力，WPI的SFS计划有以下具体目标：1)招募高素质的学生，他们表现出真正致力于服务国家需求；2)通过高质量的教育为联邦劳动力的需求做好准备；3)支持那些可能负担不起学费的学生；4)扩大女性和未被充分代表的少数族裔对网络安全的参与。WPI的SFS项目包含了服务学习，SFS学者在加强自己学习的同时，也参与了有益于他人的外展活动。SFS项目帮助学生通过校园夺旗比赛、高中网络爱国者团队的指导以及帮助伍斯特地区社区学习如何保护他们的计算机安全的活动等机会参与外展活动。学生通过本科专业和研究生专业获得网络安全的正式学位。WPI以项目为基础的课程提供了一个动手学习的环境，让学生深入探索主题，从事研究，并在同行评审的场所发表。WPI与符合条件的联邦和州政府机构以及联邦资助的研究和发展中心合作，帮助学生毕业后在符合sfs条件的政府机构就业。为了支持这一招聘过程，WPI邀请演讲者描述各种机构的研究和就业福利。WPI与潜在雇主建立关系，并与这些组织的校友保持密切联系，这些组织可以帮助指导和招募未来的学生。该项目由CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）计划支持，该计划为建立或继续网络安全奖学金计划的提案提供资金，并与美国国家网络战略保持一致，以培养优秀的网络安全劳动力。毕业后，奖学金获得者必须在联邦、州、地方或部落政府组织的网络安全部门工作，工作时间与奖学金支持时间相同。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。

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research, proposes to continue its participation in the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program to educate security professionals to support the federal government workforce. At WPI, cybersecurity is recognized as one of five priority research areas across the university, due to its critical importance to society. WPI’s SFS program provides students with a project-based learning experience that includes a hands-on experiential learning environment and formal undergraduate and graduate degree designations in cybersecurity. The SFS program also provides a cohort experience to students enabling them to explore opportunities together, gain peer mentorship, and identify enriching professional development opportunities. This project will strengthen the security of federal cyber operations by increasing the number of highly qualified cybersecurity professionals hired at federal agencies.To bolster the federal cybersecurity workforce, WPI’s SFS program has the following specific goals: 1) recruit highly-qualified students who show a genuine commitment to serving the national need; 2) prepare students for the needs of the federal workforce through a high-quality education; 3) support students who otherwise might not be able to afford their studies; and 4) broaden participation in cybersecurity among women and underrepresented minorities. The WPI SFS program incorporates service learning, in which SFS scholars engage in outreach that benefits others while reinforcing their own learning. The SFS program helps its students engage in outreach through opportunities like on-campus Capture the Flag competitions, mentorship of high school CyberPatriot teams, and events to help the Worcester-area community learn how to keep their computers safe. Students earn formal degree designations in cybersecurity through an undergraduate concentration and a graduate specialization. WPI’s project-based curriculum provides a hands-on learning environment where students explore topics in-depth, engage in research, and publish in peer-reviewed venues. WPI partners with eligible federal and state government agencies, and with federally funded research and development centers, to help students pursue post-graduation employment at SFS-eligible government agencies. To support this hiring process, WPI hosts speakers to describe the research and employment benefits at a variety of agencies. WPI builds relationships with potential employers and maintains strong ties with alumni at these organizations who can help mentor and recruit future students.This project is supported by the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, which funds proposals establishing or continuing scholarship programs in cybersecurity and aligns with the U.S. National Cyber Strategy to develop a superior cybersecurity workforce. Following graduation, scholarship recipients are required to work in cybersecurity for a federal, state, local, or tribal Government organization for the same duration as their scholarship support.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.