CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Building the Next Generation Cybersecurity-Ready Workforce

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This project establishes a new CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and addresses the increasing demand for a skilled and diverse cybersecurity workforce. This project leverages faculty expertise and course offerings to drive student training and skill development at the intersection of cybersecurity and thematic areas of artificial intelligence (AI), post-quantum cryptography, and hardware security. The FAU SFS program will develop an integrated cybersecurity workforce development model combining foundational preparation through coursework, deep skill development with cutting-edge research, practical internship experiences, and integrated professional development. Activities for professional development, including certifications, are integrated into the program to prepare scholarship recipients for a cybersecurity career in the federal government. Students will be recruited from the diverse FAU student body, with more than 49% members of underrepresented communities. Five students will be recruited and trained per cohort for a total of 20 SFS scholars over the five years. Students will gain a broad understanding of cybersecurity opportunities in the federal government and be prepared to compete and secure jobs there. Students will graduate with deep skills and preparation in cybersecurity and will serve the national security needs by completing their service obligation.Each SFS scholar receives two years of scholarship support and training leading to a master’s degree from one of the three collaborating Colleges at FAU –Engineering and Computer Science, Science, and Business. Scholars will also complete undergraduate and graduate certificates or tracks in cybersecurity as part of their training. FAU faculty’s ongoing collaborations, which include industry and Department of Defense agencies, bring substantive experience with federal government cybersecurity needs and contribute to a rich set of extracurricular activities for scholars. These activities will serve multiple purposes, including attracting and recruiting students, educating them about the benefits and challenges of working for the federal government, and assisting them in securing internship opportunities and jobs. Student research engagement will contribute to new knowledge at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, post-quantum cryptography, and hardware security.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.