UNM Information Assurance Scholarship for Service Program

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

The CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at the University of New Mexico (UNM) prepares at least 18 highly qualified Information Assurance (IA) and security professionals for service in federal, state, local, and tribal governmental agencies. UNM's program is distinct from other IA programs in that it addresses the "application divide" between IA theory, technology and real world practice, and applies IA technology within the behavioral, organizational, and economic context of organizations. In addition to the coursework, program components include: a research seminar co-designed by UNM, Sandia National Laboratory and Intel which focuses on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving; monthly professional development workshops; and an online learning community. UNM is a Hispanic Serving Institution with 37% of the students being of Hispanic origin and it enrolls more Native Americans than any other research university in the country (11.3%). The project defines very ambitious enrollment targets for SFS students: 40% minority and 40% female. The program results are disseminated to help replicating this model of using IA concepts and technology to directly address the behavioral, organizational and economic factors.