CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Building the Next Generation Cybersecurity Engineering Workforce

网络安全威胁是数字时代信息技术基础设施面临的最大挑战。2021年春季对殖民地管道的勒索软件攻击只是一个例子，突显出迫切需要一支训练有素的网络安全队伍。印第安纳大学-普渡大学印第安纳波利斯分校(IUPUI)的CyberCorps®服务奖学金(SFS)项目将为不同的学生提供将跨学科学术课程与现实世界网络安全研究和实习经验相结合的教育体验。此外，该项目将通过利用该大学正在进行的各种倡议和利益集团，并通过与当地社区学院合作，针对在网络安全领域代表性仍然不足的群体进行招聘，促进网络安全工作人员的多样性。将重要的学术准备和应用网络安全工程经验相结合，将培养出具有独特优势的下一代网络安全工程师，以增强美国政府工作人员响应国家安全需求和保护其关键基础设施的能力。在过去的两年里，IUPUI在计算机和信息技术及工程方面的现有优势的基础上，建立了两个新的创新学位课程，获得了网络安全学士学位和网络安全与可信系统硕士学位。这两个项目都是印第安纳波利斯大都市区的第一个项目。IUPUI的SFS项目将为22名攻读B.S.、M.S.或加速的B.S./M.S.课程的不同学生提供网络安全方面的广泛课程、协作性联合课程活动、基于队列的指导和实习经验。该计划将通过IUPUI正在进行的一系列举措参与积极的招聘和外联活动，以促进多样性，包括：1)NSF REU关于增强移动云和数据安全本科生经验的网站；2)NSF S-STEM城市STEM合作实验室项目；3)NSF扩大计算参与的倡议，称为STAR计算团；4)其他现有的网络安全研究和教育项目；5)与普渡大学信息保障和安全教育研究中心和印第安纳大学应用网络安全研究中心的合作；以及6)与印第安纳州常春藤科技社区学院的现有合作伙伴关系。该项目还将与IUPUI负责多样性、公平和包容性的副校长办公室、黑人学生会、印第安纳大学少数族裔服务机构STEM倡议和妇女技术英才中心合作。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。

Cybersecurity threats are the most significant challenge to information technology infrastructure in the digital age. The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in Spring 2021 is just one example that highlights the urgent need for a well-trained cybersecurity workforce. The CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) project at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) will provide diverse students with an educational experience that combines an interdisciplinary academic curriculum with real-world cybersecurity research and internship experiences. In addition, the project will promote diversity in the cybersecurity workforce by leveraging a variety of ongoing initiatives and interest groups at the university, and by partnering with a local community college in recruitment efforts targeting groups who remain underrepresented in the cybersecurity field. The combination of vital academic preparation with applied cybersecurity engineering experience will produce next-generation cybersecurity engineers uniquely situated to strengthen the U.S. government workforce's ability to respond to national security needs and protect its critical infrastructure. Over the past two years, IUPUI has built two new innovative degree programs based on existing strengths in computer and information technology and engineering, leading to a B.S. in Cybersecurity and a M.S. in Cybersecurity and Trusted Systems. Both programs are the first in the Indianapolis metropolitan region. The SFS project at IUPUI will provide 22 diverse students pursuing the B.S., M.S., or an accelerated B.S./M.S. program with access to a broad curriculum in cybersecurity, synergistic co-curricular activities, cohort-based mentorship, and internship experiences. The program will engage in active recruitment and outreach that promotes diversity through an array of ongoing initiatives at IUPUI, including: 1) an NSF REU Site on Enhancing Undergraduate Experiences in Mobile Cloud and Data Security; 2) an NSF S-STEM Urban STEM Collaboratory project; 3) an NSF Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) initiative called STARS Computing Corps; 4) other existing cybersecurity research and education projects; 5) a collaboration with Purdue University’s Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS) and Indiana University’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research (CACR); and 6) an existing partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. The program will also collaborate with IUPUI’s Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Black Student Union, the IU-Minority Serving Institutions STEM Initiative; and the Center of Excellence for Women in Technology. 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.