CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (Renewal): Advancing a Successful Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development Program

软件在国防、能源、通信、交通和制造系统运行中的核心作用，使得这些系统以集成网络安全原则的方式设计变得越来越重要。德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校（UTEP）的CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）项目的续期将继续支持高素质的学生，特别是拉丁裔和女学生，他们完成了以网络安全为重点的课程，并在毕业时具备应用严格的软件开发原则和流程的能力。UTEP的独特定位是为提高网络安全劳动力的多样性做出贡献，因为它所服务的人群包括西班牙裔、第一代和收入最低的四分之一学生。UTEP的学生不符合从高中直接过渡到四年制学院或大学的全日制学生的“传统”学生形象，因为许多学生从当地社区学院转学并继续他们的兼职教育。在过去的五年中，UTEP在开发网络安全教育计划，研究和UTEP内外的推广活动方面取得了重大进展。这些努力已获得认可，包括被国家安全局指定为网络防御和网络作战学术卓越中心（全国21个中心之一），以及被指定为陆军研究实验室-南方网络安全远程校园。UTEP的SFS学者以网络安全为重点完成严格的教育计划，并通过参与网络安全研究、培训、竞赛和实践活动来补充课堂上获得的知识。所有UTEP SFS学者还需要参与社区服务，在UTEP学生和其他人中建立网络安全意识和能力。UTEP SFS计划的目标是：1)招收并保留至少30名学生进入UTEP的软件工程硕士和计算机科学博士课程；2)能够将最先进的网络安全技术和方法应用于实践的研究生；3)将学生安置在政府职位，利用他们在网络安全方面的知识和能力，重点是将毕业生安置在联邦/行政实体中；4)提高K-12学生和教育工作者的网络安全意识和能力。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。

The central role of software in the operation of defense, energy, communication, transportation, and manufacturing systems makes it increasingly important that these systems are designed in a way that integrates cybersecurity principles. The renewal of the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) will continue the support of highly qualified students, in particular Latinx and female students, who complete a cybersecurity-focused program and graduate with the ability to apply disciplined software development principles and processes. UTEP is uniquely positioned to contribute to efforts to improve diversity in the cybersecurity workforce due to the population it serves, which includes Hispanic, first generation, and lowest income quartile students. UTEP students do not fit the “traditional” student profile of a full-time student transitioning directly from high school to a four-year college or university as many students transfer from local community colleges and pursue their education part-time. Over the past five years, UTEP has made significant advances in developing cybersecurity educational programs, research, and outreach activities at UTEP and beyond. These efforts have resulted in recognitions including the National Security Agency designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in both Cyber Defense and Cyber Operations (only one of 21 across the nation), as well as the designation as an Army Research Lab-South remote campus in cybersecurity.UTEP’s SFS Scholars complete rigorous educational programs with a focus on cybersecurity and complement the knowledge gained in the classroom through significant involvement in cybersecurity research, training, competitions, and hands-on activities. All UTEP SFS Scholars are also required to engage in service to the community to build cybersecurity awareness and capabilities among UTEP students and beyond. The goals of the UTEP SFS program are to 1) recruit and retain at least 30 students into UTEP’s Master of Science in Software Engineering and the doctoral computer science programs; 2) graduate students who will enter the workforce with the ability to transfer state-of-the-art cybersecurity techniques and approaches into practice; 3) place students in government positions that utilize their knowledge and capabilities in cybersecurity, with a focus on placing graduates in federal/executive entities; and 4) advance cybersecurity awareness and competencies among K-12 students and educators.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.