SFS: Applied Cybersecurity Training

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

Cybersecurity professionals perform essential roles in the protection of critical commercial and government infrastructure from cyberattacks. These roles include actively defending computer systems, analyzing malicious software involved in attacks, investigation and attribution, cybersecurity education, and more. Unfortunately, demand currently far exceeds the supply of highly qualified cybersecurity professionals. One of the most pressing needs is in the federal sector, where salaries are often lower than in the commercial sector. Compounding this problem is the fact that many students are unaware of the interesting job opportunities available in the federal government. This project will provide scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students studying cybersecurity at Louisiana State University (LSU). Students will receive a solid education in cybersecurity, marketable skills, and exposure to cybersecurity opportunities available in the federal government. Recruiting students from populations currently underrepresented in the cybersecurity workforce, including women and minorities, will be a priority. This project will support the expansion of the cybersecurity workforce in the United States while nurturing highly-qualified cybersecurity students and enabling each of them to make a personal impact in a field that is critically important to national security. LSU has a strong cybersecurity program that offers students the opportunity to study a variety of topics in applied cybersecurity and to conduct research using state-of-the-art facilities. The project will offer scholarships to 21 students over a five-year period to participate in an intensive academic program in cybersecurity, which includes several important activities. These activities will include both coursework and research in cutting-edge areas such as memory forensics, reverse engineering, malware analysis, blockchains, machine learning, and network security. Students will also participate in a federal internship program and obtain at least one cybersecurity certification. 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 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.