Applying Student Knowledge for Success in Cybersecurity and Data Science

该项目将通过支持肯恩大学、新泽西理工学院、费尔利·迪金森大学、布鲁克代尔社区学院和联合县学院中表现出经济需求的高成就低收入学生的保留和毕业，为满足全国对受过良好教育的科学家、数学家、工程师和技术人员的需求做出贡献。特别是，它通过增加计算机科学（CS）和信息技术（it）专业毕业的学生数量，响应了国家在网络安全和数据科学领域的需求。此外，该项目将建立区域劳动力实力，并有助于建立关于学生能力和归属感在确保坚持获得学位方面的作用的知识库。在五年的时间里，共有256名学生将受益，获得奖学金以完成计算机科学或信息技术学位。项目组成部分包括为学生提供奖学金支持，本科研究和/或毕业前的专业经验机会，以及通过对学生经济现实的研究产生新知识，以及对网络安全和数据科学职业轨迹的影响。该课程的学生将准备进入科学工作队伍或研究生院，成为具有团队合作和研究背景的有能力、训练有素的个人。此外，他们将有助于增加计算机科学和信息技术领域的专业多样性，并成为社区成员的榜样。该项目招收的学生将参加研讨会，利用队列经验，并与教师密切互动，教师将提供i)学术建议，ii)指导高等教育和研究生机会，以及iii)监督团队合作，研究和工作专业经验。通过参与教师研究项目和/或现有的暑期研究和实习项目的本科生研究机会和经验，这些个人和群体经验将为全面的智力发展提供基础，并促进学生信心的增强，保留率的提高，及时完成学位。这些学术成果反过来又有望让学生成功地应对常见的摩擦点，包括经济困难和研究生就业和继续教育的职业身份发展。该项目的学术环境包括师生咨询和本科生研究活动，采用亲和研究小组（ARG）模式和同伴指导。团队合作和学生激励问答环节的使用将积极支持计算机科学和信息技术领域关于教育影响和保留的研究，特别是针对少数民族、女性和第一代学生。该项目由美国国家科学基金会的科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金项目资助，旨在增加有经济需求的低收入学术天才学生在STEM领域获得学位的人数。它还旨在改善未来STEM工作者的教育，并为低收入学生提供有关学业成功、留校、转学、毕业和学术/职业道路的知识。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。

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Kean University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Brookdale Community College, and Union County College. In particular, it responds to areas of national need in cybersecurity and data science by increasing the number of students graduating in Computer Science (CS) and Information Technology (IT). Moreover, the project will build regional workforce strength and contribute to the knowledge base on the role of student competence and belonging in ensuring persistence to degree attainment. Over its five-year duration, a total of 256 students will benefit, receiving scholarships to complete CS or IT degrees. Project components include scholarship support for students, undergraduate research and/or professional experience opportunities prior to graduation, and generation of new knowledge through research on economic realities for students and impact on career trajectories in cybersecurity and data science. Students in this program will be prepared to enter the scientific workforce or graduate school as competent, highly trained individuals with a background in teamwork and research. Furthermore, they will contribute to increased professional diversity in the fields of CS and IT, and serve as role models to members of their communities. The students recruited for this program will participate in workshops, take advantage of cohort experiences, and interact closely with faculty who will provide i) academic advising, ii) guidance for navigating higher education and postgraduate opportunities, and iii) supervision of teamwork, research, and working professional experiences. Through undergraduate research opportunities and experiences from participation in faculty research programs and/or existing summer research and internship programs, these individual and cohort experiences will provide a basis for overall intellectual growth and promote increased student confidence, retention, and timely degree completion. These academic outcomes are in turn expected to allow students to successfully navigate common attrition points including financial hardship and professional identity development for post-graduate employment and continued education. The project's academic environment includes student-faculty advising and undergraduate research activities, using the Affinity Research Group (ARG) model and peer-mentoring. The use of teamwork, collaboration and student-motivated question and answer sessions will positively support research in the field of computer science and information technology regarding educational impact and retention, particularly for minorities, female, and first-generation students. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.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.