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

该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）增加代表性不足和少数民族教师对学生的参与; 3）让学生参与专业活动，如实习，研讨会的发展，以及通过网络安全的各种活动提供协同互动的其他外展活动。该项目将直接影响28个（20个本科生，6个硕士和2个博士）。学生和拓宽机会，使有才华的西班牙裔妇女和其他代表性不足的群体的学生进入计算机科学和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的全国性短缺。通过对本科生和研究生的支持，PUPR-SFS项目将增加研究成果，并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;移动的Ad Hoc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;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基础。另一个目标是让学生参与专业活动，如实习，研讨会开发和其他外展活动，通过网络安全的各种活动提供协同互动。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，研讨会，“夺旗”比赛，并参加国际裁判会议。项目团队将定期与学生会面，以监测课程，研究和学生所需的任何其他教育活动的进展。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评估预期成果。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，以培养一支上级网络安全人才队伍。毕业后，奖学金获得者需要在联邦，州，地方或部落政府组织的网络安全工作与他们的奖学金支持相同的时间。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.