CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (Renewal): Cybersecurity meets Artificial Intelligence for preparing the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

计算机和互联网技术的迅速发展改变了世界。然而，这些发展也导致网络攻击呈指数级增长，这可能对我们的社会产生灾难性影响。教育和准备我们的劳动力打击网络犯罪对我们的国家至关重要。需要采取一种将网络安全和人工智能相结合的协调方法，以确保公共和私营部门关键基础设施的安全。这个更新项目将扩大亚拉巴马大学伯明翰分校（UAB）计算机科学与刑事司法之间的成功合作伙伴关系，培养精英和多样化的硕士毕业生队伍，谁将准备采取与人工智能和数据分析的尖端知识和技能的现实世界的网络安全挑战。UAB的服务奖学金（SFS）该计划强调加强跨学科培训，通过该计划，学生将获得网络安全，人工智能和数据科学方面的全面教育。该计划的毕业生将拥有一套独特的技能，使他们处于网络安全专业的最前沿，拥有最先进的分析知识和技能，这对保护国家的网络空间至关重要。该计划将侧重于综合解决问题的技能，以确保学生获得人工智能方面的知识和实践经验，以及解决现实世界网络安全问题所需的其他高级分析技能。UAB致力于从代表性不足的群体中招募和保留学生。UAB的成功机制将被用来招收来自不同背景的学生，并支持他们在该计划中取得成功。该计划的一个关键组成部分是严格的评估。该计划将使用与UAB教育学院的教师合作开发的正式评估策略不断改进。该大学提供一套全面的跨学科课程，包括本科数字取证和计算机科学，网络安全硕士，数据科学硕士，计算机科学硕士和博士。在计算机科学项目中。它是网络安全中心的所在地，自2012年以来一直是国土安全部/国家安全管理局HS/NSA指定的学术卓越研究中心（CAE-R）。此外，UAB与联邦、州和地方政府组织建立了强有力的合作伙伴关系，并在从各种资助机构、亚拉巴马州和几家跨国公司获得网络安全和数据科学资金方面取得了成功。最后，UAB在培训代表性不足群体的学生方面有着出色的记录。凭借其专业知识、资源和对多样性的承诺，UAB在战略上处于有利地位，可以实现这一更新提案中概述的愿景。该项目得到CyberCorps®服务奖学金（SFS）计划的支持，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，以培养一支上级网络安全人才队伍。毕业后，奖学金获得者需要在联邦，州，地方或部落政府组织的网络安全工作，其时间与奖学金支持相同。该项目部分通过STEM教育计划中的种族平等（EHR种族平等）资助。该计划支持研究和实践项目，调查种族平等因素如何影响科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育和劳动力的改善。获奖项目旨在集中STEM企业内受系统性不平等影响最大的个人，社区和机构的声音，知识和经验。该计划符合NSF的核心价值观，即支持来自全国人口群体，地区和组织类型多样性的优秀研究人员和创新思想家。EHR种族平等基金来自EHR各项目，以表彰其项目与董事会四个部门的集体研究和开发目标的一致性。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Rapid developments in computer and Internet-based technologies have transformed the world. However, these developments have also led to an exponential increase in cyber-attacks, which can have a disastrous impact on our society. Educating and preparing our workforce for combating cybercrime is of utmost importance to our nation. A coordinated approach combining cybersecurity and artificial intelligence is needed to ensure the security of critical infrastructure in both the public and private sectors. This renewal project will expand the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) successful partnership between Computer Science and Criminal Justice to train an elite and diverse cadre of master's graduates, who will be ready to take up real-world cybersecurity challenges with cutting-edge knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence and data analytics.The UAB’s Scholarship for Service (SFS) program emphasizes enhanced interdisciplinary training through which students will receive a comprehensive education in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science. Graduates of this program will possess a unique set of skills that will place them at the forefront of the cybersecurity profession, with the state-of-the-art analytical knowledge and skills that are essential for securing the nation’s cyberspace. The program will focus on integrated problem-solving skills to ensure that students gain knowledge and practical experiences in artificial intelligence as well as other advanced analytical skills necessary to solve real-world cybersecurity problems. UAB is committed to the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups. UAB’s successful mechanisms will be leveraged to enroll students from diverse backgrounds and support their success in the program. A key component of the program is rigorous evaluation. The program will be continuously improved using a formal evaluation strategy developed in collaboration with faculty from UAB’s College of Education. The university offers a comprehensive set of cross-disciplinary curricula in undergraduate Digital Forensics and Computer Science, MS in Cyber Security, MS in Data Science, MS in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Computer Science programs. It is the home of a Center for Cyber Security and has been a Department of Homeland Security/National Security Administration HS/NSA designated Center of Academic Excellence Research (CAE-R) since 2012. In addition, UAB has a strong partnership with federal, state and local government organizations, and has a proven record of accomplishment in securing funding in both cybersecurity and data science from various funding agencies, the state of Alabama, and several multinational corporations. Finally, UAB has an excellent track record of training students from underrepresented groups. With its expertise, resources, and commitment to diversity, UAB is strategically positioned to achieve the vision outlined in this renewal proposal.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 project is partially funded through the Racial Equity in STEM Education program (EHR Racial Equity). The program supports research and practice projects that investigate how considerations of racial equity factor into the improvement of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. Awarded projects seek to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by systemic inequities within the STEM enterprise. This program aligns with NSF’s core value of supporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation's diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations. Funds for EHR Racial Equity are pooled from programs across EHR in recognition of the alignment of its projects with the collective research and development thrusts of the four divisions of the directorate.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.