CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (Renewal): Enhancing Cybersecurity Research and Education in Puerto Rico

这项CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）项目更新将使波多黎各理工大学（PUPR）能够继续支持国家安全和日益技术化的社会的需求。PUPR-SFS计划的主要目标是：1)增加追求网络安全的合格学生的数量；2)增加学生中代表性不足和少数民族教师的参与；3)让学生参与专业活动，如实习、研讨会的发展和其他通过网络安全方面的各种活动提供协同互动的外展活动。该项目将直接影响28名学生（20名本科生，6名硕士和2名博士），并扩大机会，使有才华的西班牙裔女性和其他代表性不足的群体的学生能够进入计算机科学与网络安全工程的学术课程；帮助缓解这些领域合格专业人员在全国范围内的短缺。通过对本科生和研究生的支持，PUPR-SFS项目将增加与网络安全相关的多个技术领域的研究成果并改善教育。PUPR已经参与了网络安全和人工智能（如机器学习）领域的关键研究；物联网安全;移动自组网（MANET）；无人驾驶飞行器（UAV）；计算机与网络安全；电子取证和数字证据；计算机取证;社会工程;入侵检测;加密技术;密码分析;隐写术;和可视化工具；等等。该项目将有助于增加国家关注的安全问题的知识库。另一个目标是让学生参与专业活动，如实习、研讨会发展和其他外联活动，通过各种网络安全活动提供协同互动。这些活动还将包括丰富学生学术经历的大学内部活动，如招聘会、研讨会、“夺旗”比赛，以及参加国际评审会议。项目团队将定期与学生会面，以监督学生在课程、研究和任何其他要求学生的教育活动方面的进展。预期结果将使用由内部和外部评估组成的项目评估计划进行定期评估（由经验丰富的外部评估人员进行评估）。计划确保形成性和总结性评估与计划的预期结果一致，并且，如果需要，及时采取纠正措施。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。

This CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) project renewal will enable Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) to continue supporting the needs of national security and an increasingly technological society. The main goals of the PUPR-SFS program are: 1) increase the number of qualified students pursuing cybersecurity; 2) increase the involvement of underrepresented and minority faculty in students; 3) engage students in professional activities such as internships, development of workshops, and other outreach activities that provide synergistic interactions through various activities in cybersecurity. This project will directly impact twenty-eight (20 undergraduate, 6 Master, and 2 Ph.D.) students and broaden opportunities that enable talented Hispanic women and students from other underrepresented groups to enter academic programs in Computer Science and Engineering in Cybersecurity; helping to alleviate the nationwide shortage of qualified professionals in these areas. Through its support for undergraduate and graduate students this PUPR-SFS project will increase research findings and improve education in multiple technology areas relevant to cybersecurity. PUPR is already involved in critical research in the areas of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence such as Machine Learning; IoT Security; Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET); Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV); Computer and Network Security; E-Discovery and Digital Evidence; Computer Forensics; Social Engineering; Intrusion Detection; Cryptography; Cryptanalysis; Steganography; and Visualization Tools; among others. The project will help increase the knowledge base in security topics that are of national concern. Another goal is to engage students in professional activities such as internships, workshop development, and other outreach activities that provide synergistic interactions through various activities in cybersecurity. These activities will also include initiatives within the university that will enrich students' academic experiences, such as job fairs, symposiums, "Capture the Flag" competitions, and attendance at international refereed conferences. The project team will meet periodically with students to monitor progress in courses, research, and any other educational activities required of students. Expected outcomes will be evaluated periodically using a Program Evaluation Plan consisting of internal and external evaluations (with an experienced external evaluator). The plan assures that formative and summative evaluations are consistent with the program's expected outcomes, and, if required, corrective actions are taken in a timely manner. 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.