SaTC:EDU: Enhancing Security Education in Hybrid Mobile and Internet of Things Firmware through Inclusive, Engaging, Learning Modules (E-SHIIELD)

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Improvements in advanced cybersecurity education are necessary to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity workforce, including efforts to ensure diversity in the cybersecurity workforce. This project has two overarching goals: (1) to develop curricular materials relating to web-based (hybrid) mobile apps and Internet of Things (IoT) firmware security, and (2) to strengthen the nation's workforce, especially for current and future generation students from underrepresented groups. Toward the above goals, this project will create and broadly deploy two courses in the web-based mobile app and IoT security technology spaces. The courses will incorporate state-of-the-art educational techniques that address challenges that instructors face in teaching these advanced cybersecurity topics. Using multiple methods of instruction and rapidly-changing course materials, the faculty will employ inclusive and engaged educational strategies for promoting diversity in advanced cybersecurity. The primary goals of this project are to develop, deploy, evaluate and disseminate course modules in the areas of hybrid mobile apps and IoT firmware security. The courses will be designed as stackable modules for easy integration into existing courses, and broadly disseminated under a Creative Commons license. Additionally, the courses will be designed to align with NSA/DHS Centers for Academic Excellence (CAE) Knowledge Unit requirements to incentivize CAE institutions to adopt them. The scope of the course modules will range from junior and senior level undergraduate courses to graduate level courses. Modules will target students pursuing various degree programs in cybersecurity at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) and extend more broadly to students pursuing Computer Science degrees at UNCC and other institutions. Specifically, the project will train faculty at five North Carolina universities (including HBCUs and community colleges) on the course modules, to deploy them at their universities. The project will also include a K-12 IoT Roadshow at five Title I Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The course modules will adopt the Inclusive Curriculum Framework and mploy state-of-the-art educational strategies aimed towards improved student learning and engagement. Modules will support multiple class modalities (face-to-face, hybrid, online). The course modules will also ensure accessibility and inclusivity in the concept, content, delivery, assessment, feedback and review. This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.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.