Renewal of the Scholarship for Service Program at the University of Alabama in Huntsville

University Of Alabama In Huntsville, Huntsville AL

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Research, proposes to continue and expand its participation in the CyberCorps(R): Scholarship for Service (SFS) program to prepare highly-qualified cybersecurity professionals for entry into the government workforce. UAH partners with Calhoun Community College, Northeast Alabama State Junior College, and Snead State Community College to support sophomores at these community colleges for one year, and for two years of additional support at UAH to complete a bachelor's degree. UAH has dedicated programs to place SFS students into government service including the Students Working at the Army in Parallel (SWAP) and the Cyber Force Incubator. These programs work closely with local government agencies to identify workforce needs, prepare students, and connect students to internships and post-graduation positions. Former SFS graduates work in cybersecurity positions at the US Army, the Missile Defense Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, NASA, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The SFS program funds projects that address cybersecurity education and workforce development, including funding to award scholarships to students in cybersecurity. In return for their scholarships, recipients will work after graduation for a Federal, State, Local, or Tribal Government organization in a position related to Cybersecurity for a period equal to the length of the scholarship. The SFS program at UAH introduces cybersecurity topics into the curriculum from the freshman experience through graduate work in the context of specific courses, such as database systems and operating systems. Many of the courses include practical experiences to provide students with real-world learning opportunities. The program is supported by a network security lab in the Department of Computer Science, a Safety and Security Lab in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a Digital Forensics Lab in the College of Business. An active learning philosophy is used during laboratory activities to help students acquire and retain skills. There are more than a dozen research centers at UAH that offer opportunities for SFS student research including security of big data, SCADA security, network security, cybersecurity business processes, safety, aviation security, digital forensics, and automotive security. A variety of programs at UAH support the pipeline of its SFS program, as degrees are offered in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Information Systems. UAH is also able to draw students with different levels of academic background including community colleges, undergraduate, Master's programs, and PhD. 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.