CyberCorps SFS Renewal: Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate CyberScholars Program

国家安全需要工程师和计算机科学家，他们在构思、设计、构建和操作安全网络系统方面有很强的背景。提供全面的网络安全教育是具有挑战性的，因为硬件、软件和网络系统总是在响应对手不断发展的战略而变化。通过CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）项目，弗吉尼亚理工大学建议支持本科生攻读学士和硕士（BS/MS）学位课程。该教育计划将涉及国家网络安全教育倡议（NICE）网络安全劳动力框架中建立的主要和专业领域，重点是安全提供、分析和调查类别。该项目的扩大预计将通过增加代表性不足的少数民族和妇女的参与，进一步扩大其更广泛的影响。参与将对弗吉尼亚理工大学的在校生以及从社区学院系统内的两年制课程转学的学生开放。该项目的总体目标是培养能够满足联邦、州、地方和部落政府机构对训练有素的网络安全专业人员的需求的学者。弗吉尼亚理工大学网络学者项目的重点是三年级的本科生打算完成电气和计算机工程或计算机科学的综合学士/硕士学位课程。学者将获得三年的资助，其中包括最后两年的本科工作和获得硕士学位所需的额外一年。电气工程、计算机工程和计算机科学学位课程是高度技术性的，深入研究软件、硬件和计算机系统网络的安全性。该项目还将解决物联网（IoT）的网络安全问题。随着智能汽车、智能住宅、自主设备和一系列自我保护服务的使用不断扩大，物联网网络安全成为一个越来越重要的领域。学者将被要求完成网络安全本科辅修课程，研究生网络安全证书和联邦实习。此外，这些学者还将在网络相关实验室进行研究，并参加课外活动。课外机会包括弗吉尼亚理工大学网络俱乐部和弗吉尼亚网络范围的教学材料和课程的开发。这些活动还将有助于传播网络安全知识，并有可能将项目的影响扩展到选定的学者之外。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，以培养优秀的网络安全劳动力。毕业后，奖学金获得者必须在联邦、州、地方或部落政府组织的网络安全部门工作，工作时间与奖学金支持时间相同。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

There is a national security need for engineers and computer scientists with a strong background in conceptualizing, designing, building and operating secure cyber systems. Providing a comprehensive education in cybersecurity is challenging as the hardware, software, and network systems are always changing in response to the evolving strategies of adversaries. With this CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) project, Virginia Tech proposes to support undergraduates working towards a combined bachelor’s and master’s (BS/MS) degree program. The educational program will address the major and specialty areas established in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, with a focus on the Securely Provision, Analyze, and Investigate categories. Expansion of this project is expected to further its broader impacts by increasing participation of underrepresented minorities and women. Participation will be open to current Virginia Tech students as well as students transferring in from two-year programs within community college systems. The overall goal of this project is to produce scholars who will be prepared to satisfy the need for well-trained cybersecurity professionals working in federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies.The Virginia Tech CyberScholars project focuses on third year undergraduate students intending to complete a combined BS/MS degree program in Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science. Scholars will receive three years of funding, which will encompass the final two years of undergraduate work plus the additional year required to earn a master’s degree. The Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Computer Science degree programs are highly technical and delve into the security of software, hardware, and networking of computing systems. The project will also address the cybersecurity of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT cybersecurity is an increasingly important area as the use of smart cars, smart houses, autonomous devices, and a range of self-securing services expands. Scholars will be required to complete an undergraduate Cyber Security minor, a Graduate Cybersecurity Certificate, and a federal internship. In addition, the scholars will be expected to conduct research in a cyber-related lab and participate in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular opportunities include the Virginia Tech Cyber Club and the development of tutorial materials and lessons for the Virginia Cyber Range. These activities will also contribute to disseminating cybersecurity knowledge and have potential to extend the project’s impact beyond the pool of selected scholars.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.