CyberCorps SFS Renewal: Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate CyberScholars Program

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

There is a national security need for engineers and computer scientists with a strong background in conceptualizing, designing, building and operating secure cyber systems. Providing a comprehensive education in cybersecurity is challenging as the hardware, software, and network systems are always changing in response to the evolving strategies of adversaries. With this CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) project, Virginia Tech proposes to support undergraduates working towards a combined bachelor’s and master’s (BS/MS) degree program. The educational program will address the major and specialty areas established in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, with a focus on the Securely Provision, Analyze, and Investigate categories. Expansion of this project is expected to further its broader impacts by increasing participation of underrepresented minorities and women. Participation will be open to current Virginia Tech students as well as students transferring in from two-year programs within community college systems. The overall goal of this project is to produce scholars who will be prepared to satisfy the need for well-trained cybersecurity professionals working in federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies. The Virginia Tech CyberScholars project focuses on third year undergraduate students intending to complete a combined BS/MS degree program in Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science. Scholars will receive three years of funding, which will encompass the final two years of undergraduate work plus the additional year required to earn a master’s degree. The Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Computer Science degree programs are highly technical and delve into the security of software, hardware, and networking of computing systems. The project will also address the cybersecurity of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT cybersecurity is an increasingly important area as the use of smart cars, smart houses, autonomous devices, and a range of self-securing services expands. Scholars will be required to complete an undergraduate Cyber Security minor, a Graduate Cybersecurity Certificate, and a federal internship. In addition, the scholars will be expected to conduct research in a cyber-related lab and participate in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular opportunities include the Virginia Tech Cyber Club and the development of tutorial materials and lessons for the Virginia Cyber Range. These activities will also contribute to disseminating cybersecurity knowledge and have potential to extend the project’s impact beyond the pool of selected scholars. 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.