CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Accelerating Cybersecurity Education, Scholarship and Service

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This project establishes a new CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth). The project aims to (1) address the national need for a holistic cybersecurity education, (2) create a supportive ecosystem for entering government careers, and (3) respond to demands for a diverse workforce with master’s-level preparation in cybersecurity by broadening participation of students. The project provides an integrated experience that combines education and applied experiences to increase understanding of cybersecurity and workforce opportunities in the government. It includes a coordinated program of recruitment and workforce development strategies to prepare and graduate master’s-level professionals to meet the needs of the government. The overall outcome will be a diverse group of scholars who are prepared for government cybersecurity positions and placed on a pathway for success. UMass Dartmouth is designated as a National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The project leverages this designation, accelerated B.S./M.S. programs in electrical and computer engineering and computer science, graduate-level courses in cybersecurity, established partnerships with government agencies, and federally sponsored research efforts to advance scholarship in cybersecurity. Research completed under the mentorship of UMass Dartmouth faculty will advance the science that treats security as a fundamental system design attribute. The project will implement, adapt, and study evidence-based activities, including professional development practices, to recruit and support graduate students historically underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity. In addition, the project will generate and disseminate knowledge about activities affecting recruitment, student success, and graduate degree attainment by students with specialized cybersecurity research training. 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.