Renewal for USA Cyber Scholars Program

University Of South Alabama, Mobile AL

Investigators

Abstract

The University of South Alabama (USA) proposes to add four new cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students to their existing CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) program in cybersecurity with strong emphasis on the cutting edge of critical cybersecurity research. The program is graduating skilled cybersecurity professionals with strong leadership skills and a commitment to public service. The project will have an immediate impact on the cybersecurity capabilities of the federal workforce by providing graduates with general computing and security skills. The University of South Alabama has a record of meeting the needs of a diverse student body and a high percentage of the students come from rural or financially depressed areas. In the current program, 30% of the SFS Cyber Scholars are female and 15% are members of underrepresented groups. The project team consists of 17 cybersecurity-focused faculty members providing education and research opportunities to the SFS Cyber Scholars. The expert faculty along with the state-of-the-art security laboratories allow students to be on the cutting edge of critical cybersecurity research issues facing the nation in one of the best cybersecurity research facilities in the country. The project will continue the successful SFS Cyber Scholars program recruiting students throughout the Gulf Coast region and will enrich diversity and capacity in the national cyber workforce. The USA School of Computing is unique in this region, consolidating five undergraduate computing programs in information technology, computer science, cyber assurance, information systems, and health informatics. The project team brings both military service experience and experience in managing NSF's scholarship programs. Graduates of the USA Cyber Scholars program are skilled in research methodology, develop hands-on cyber knowledge, and are prepared professionally to enter the federal cyber workforce.