CyberCorps SFS Renewal: Federal and University Training Union for Research and Education on Security (FUTURES)

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Recognizing the importance of cybersecurity and the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals in federal agencies, the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at the University of Missouri-Columbia proposes a renewal of their existing CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS) project. This Federal and University Training Union for Research and Education on Security (FUTURES) SFS project will address the need for cybersecurity professionals. It will provide master’s (MS) and doctoral (PhD) degree students with a state-of-the-art cybersecurity education that includes innovative hands-on learning experiences to prepare them for current and future cybersecurity threats. The development of a wide range of security-related courses and the research activities associated with this project will significantly expand cybersecurity education and research capabilities in the University of Missouri System. The FUTURES SFS project will also strengthen existing ties between the University and federal organizations. The curricula and research activities support the National Cyber Strategy and the need for robust cybersecurity technology, policy, and practices. Broader impacts of this project will include efforts to increase the number of minorities and women in cybersecurity professions. In addition, the project will perform outreach to disseminate cybersecurity knowledge to the community, including: K-12 teachers, middle and high school students, neighboring colleges, and the cybersecurity academic field.The FUTURES SFS project builds on the success and experience of the previously funded SFS project, strong institutional support, and the University of Missouri-Columbia’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research (CAE-R) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This project will provide scholars with high-quality cybersecurity research and educational activities, which include innovative experiential learning opportunities, dedicated diversity and inclusion support, and robust extracurricular and outreach activities. Undergraduate and graduate level cybersecurity courses cover all the categories and most specialty areas specified by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. Each scholar will be required to complete at least 18 credit hours of lecture courses on cybersecurity, and 12 or 54 cybersecurity research credit hours towards an MS or PhD thesis, respectively. Service-learning courses, which combine academic coursework with relevant and impactful service to the community, will provide the scholars with innovative experiential learning. Outreach and dissemination activities will take the form of seminars, workshops, and summer camps organized by the SFS scholars and the project team, as well as research publications and presentations to academic and professional societies. The university has established an Education Partnership Agreement with several federal agencies and the project team has extensive collaborations with federal organizations such as the National Science Foundation, NSA, National Institutes of Health and DHS, which will provide direct channels for SFS scholars to secure internships as well as permanent jobs. 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.