Collaborative Project: Teaching Strategic, Operational, and Defensive Cybersecurity to the Next Generation from Sea to Shining Sea

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

This is a collaborative project involving George Washington University (NSF Award No. 1129398), the University of Washington (NSF Award No. 1128989), and the University of Hawaii (NSF Award No. 1129567). Since 2003, George Washington University has offered students in its Cyber Corps (Scholarship for Service) program a seminar in which Federal and industry experts deliver guest lectures. This project is making that seminar available through videos, notes, and instructor guides to two partner institutions (the University of Washington and the University of Hawaii) and, ultimately, to the entire Cyber Corps community, so that students in SFS programs outside the DC area can benefit from the experiences and leadership skills of on-the-ground Federal leaders. The two partner institutions are adding lectures by Federal government and industry leaders from their respective regions who have made significant contributions to the advancement of cybersecurity. For example, the University of Washington is contributing lectures from industry leaders developing secure cloud environments, and the University of Hawaii is contributing lectures from the original ALOHAnet developers. The project is developing a "Cybersecurity Library of Content," based on a concept inventory, which is consistent, cutting-edge, and part of a comprehensive approach to the teaching of strategic, operational, and defensive cybersecurity. At all of the participating universities, this program effectively augments faculty by providing speakers either in person or by video. In addition, instructors are able to use material developed by the project, including an instructor's guide, laboratory exercises, examination questions and answers, learning objectives, and links to related artifacts (e.g., PowerPoint presentations, reading lists), where appropriate. The project is also creating links with the broader SFS program and with community colleges that are starting to teach cybersecurity. It is helping the participating institutions transform their programs into ones that better serve their students by making previously unavailable content available to them. Students are trained in many current policies so that they can hit the ground running. When they arrive at their internship or job in the government, they are prepared not only with knowledge of traditional cybersecurity and information assurance mechanisms but also with an appreciation of government-related issues obtained from up-to-date lectures by individuals with current or recent first-hand experience in Federal government cybersecurity and information assurance.