Enhancing the Preparation of Next-generation Cyber Professionals through a Hands-on Academic Program, Undergraduate Research Experiences, and Community Partnerships
Abstract
South Carolina has many key national facilities, each with its own cybersecurity needs. These include the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Fort Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base, and others. Despite generous incentives, recruiting the American militarys cyber force is more difficult than ever. According to 2018 estimates, the Departmentre operations positions are only 46% filled. In South Carolina, the recruitment challenges are exacerbated by the favorable economic climate, where the shortage of cybersecurity professionals is noted in public and private industries.The University of South Carolina (USC) proposes to address the cybersecurity workforce needs in a comprehensive manner. The project has four objectives. First, starting in Fall 2020, the proposal plans to fully implement a cybersecurity concentration track, embedded in an ABET-accredited bachelors degree in Information Technology (IT). The 18-credit (six courses) program is targetedto STEM students in general and to the vibrant USCs Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) tri-service program (Navy, Army, and Air Force) in particular. Offering of courses started in Spring 2020. The curriculum will prepare students for industry / Department of Defenses (DoD) approved baseline certificates for Information Assurance Technical (IAT) and provide skills and knowledge for posi responder, and security networkengineer.Second, the concentration will prepare students to conduct research in applied cybersecurity. Students will be recruited to the Undergraduate Research Program in Applied Cybersecurity (URPAC), to be established by this project. URPAC will provide three types of research projects: independent research, capstone research, and internship research projects. Independent researchprojects will be conducted under the guidance of a faculty professor in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), with input from NIWC Atlantic mentors. Capstone research projects will be conducted to fulfill the needs of a national agency or public / private businesses. Internship research projects will be performed on-premises at an agency or business, where students willconduct research in cybersecurity under the guidance of an external mentor and a faculty member. The project team has partnered with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, which includes numerous businesses from diverse sectors, and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), to provide applied research opportunities.Third, the project will deploy equipment pods on a virtual platform, accessible over the Internet, to support research and teaching activities. Students will access the platform from anywhere, without compromising hands-on experiences. This remote-access capability will enable ROTC cadets to progress on their research milestones, even when they are deployed to field training exercises. The system will be cost efficient and flexible. By partnering with leading cybersecurity companies, namely, Palo Alto Networks, Cisco Systems, and VMware, students will learn cybersecurity and conduct research using state-of-the-art virtual equipment and professional tools deployed on the virtual platform.Finally, the project will establish open meetings among industry, government, high schools, and higher-education institutions to enhance cybersecurity preparation. Meetings include a) an annual two-day cyber-training event for IT professionals, high-school teachers, and university professors interested in cybersecurity (e.g., next-generation firewalls, intrusion detection systems,cybersecurity operations); and b) researchd other guests.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012797
Entities
People
- Jorge Crichigno
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of South Carolina