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

此次CyberCorps®服务奖学金(SFS)项目续签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)增加代表不足的教师和少数族裔教师在学生中的参与；3)让学生参与专业活动，如实习、开发研讨会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名博士生)在这方面，我们将继续为学生提供机会，并扩大机会，使有才华的拉美裔妇女和来自其他代表性不足群体的学生能够进入网络安全领域的计算机科学和工程专业的学术课程；帮助缓解全国在这些领域缺乏合格专业人员的问题。通过对本科生和研究生的支持，PUPR-SFS项目将增加研究成果，改善与网络安全相关的多个技术领域的教育。PUPR已经参与了网络安全和人工智能领域的关键研究，如机器学习；物联网安全；移动自组织网络(MANET)；无人机(UAV)；计算机和网络安全；电子发现和数字证据；计算机取证；社会工程；入侵检测；密码学；密码分析；隐写术；可视化工具等等。该项目将有助于增加国家关切的安全专题的知识库。另一个目标是让学生参与专业活动，如实习、研讨会开发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。这些活动还将包括大学内部的举措，以丰富学生的学术经验，如招聘会、座谈会、“夺旗”比赛，以及参加国际评议会议。项目团队将定期与学生会面，以监测课程、研究和任何其他要求学生的教育活动的进展情况。预期成果将使用由内部和外部评估(由经验丰富的外部评估员组成)的计划评估计划定期进行评估。该计划确保形成性和总结性评估与计划的预期结果一致，并在必要时及时采取纠正行动。该项目得到了CyberCorps®服务奖学金(SFS)计划的支持，该计划为设立或继续开展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，以培养一支优秀的网络安全队伍。毕业后，奖学金获得者被要求在联邦、州、地方或部落政府组织的网络安全工作中工作，时间与他们的奖学金支持相同。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.