CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (Renewal): Cybersecurity meets Artificial Intelligence for preparing the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

Cyber​​Corps 服务奖学金（续展）：网络安全与人工智能的结合，为下一代网络安全专业人员做好准备

• 批准号: 2234868
• 负责人: Ragib Hasan
• 金额: $ 461.58万
• 依托单位: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2028-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2234868&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CyberCorps; Scholarship; Service; Renewal; Cybersecurity

Rapid developments in computer and Internet-based technologies have transformed the world. However, these developments have also led to an exponential increase in cyber-attacks, which can have a disastrous impact on our society. Educating and preparing our workforce for combating cybercrime is of utmost importance to our nation. A coordinated approach combining cybersecurity and artificial intelligence is needed to ensure the security of critical infrastructure in both the public and private sectors. This renewal project will expand the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) successful partnership between Computer Science and Criminal Justice to train an elite and diverse cadre of master's graduates, who will be ready to take up real-world cybersecurity challenges with cutting-edge knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence and data analytics.The UAB’s Scholarship for Service (SFS) program emphasizes enhanced interdisciplinary training through which students will receive a comprehensive education in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science. Graduates of this program will possess a unique set of skills that will place them at the forefront of the cybersecurity profession, with the state-of-the-art analytical knowledge and skills that are essential for securing the nation’s cyberspace. The program will focus on integrated problem-solving skills to ensure that students gain knowledge and practical experiences in artificial intelligence as well as other advanced analytical skills necessary to solve real-world cybersecurity problems. UAB is committed to the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups. UAB’s successful mechanisms will be leveraged to enroll students from diverse backgrounds and support their success in the program. A key component of the program is rigorous evaluation. The program will be continuously improved using a formal evaluation strategy developed in collaboration with faculty from UAB’s College of Education. The university offers a comprehensive set of cross-disciplinary curricula in undergraduate Digital Forensics and Computer Science, MS in Cyber Security, MS in Data Science, MS in Computer Science and Ph.D. in Computer Science programs. It is the home of a Center for Cyber Security and has been a Department of Homeland Security/National Security Administration HS/NSA designated Center of Academic Excellence Research (CAE-R) since 2012. In addition, UAB has a strong partnership with federal, state and local government organizations, and has a proven record of accomplishment in securing funding in both cybersecurity and data science from various funding agencies, the state of Alabama, and several multinational corporations. Finally, UAB has an excellent track record of training students from underrepresented groups. With its expertise, resources, and commitment to diversity, UAB is strategically positioned to achieve the vision outlined in this renewal proposal.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 project is partially funded through the Racial Equity in STEM Education program (EHR Racial Equity). The program supports research and practice projects that investigate how considerations of racial equity factor into the improvement of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. Awarded projects seek to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by systemic inequities within the STEM enterprise. This program aligns with NSF’s core value of supporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation's diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations. Funds for EHR Racial Equity are pooled from programs across EHR in recognition of the alignment of its projects with the collective research and development thrusts of the four divisions of the directorate.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.

计算机和互联网技术的快速发展改变了世界，但这些发展也导致网络攻击呈指数级增长，这可能对我们的社会产生灾难性的影响。对于我们的国家来说，需要采取一种将网络安全和人工智能相结合的协调方法来确保公共和私营部门关键基础设施的安全，这一更新项目将扩大阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校 (UAB) 与计算机科学之间的成功合作关系。和刑事司法培训精英和多元化的硕士毕业生骨干队伍，他们将准备好利用人工智能和数据分析方面的尖端知识和技能来应对现实世界的网络安全挑战。 UAB 的服务奖学金 (SFS) 计划强调加强跨学科培训，学生可以通过该培训将接受网络安全、人工智能和数据科学方面的全面教育，该项目的毕业生将拥有一套独特的技能，使他们能够站在网络安全专业的最前沿，拥有最先进的分析知识和能力。确保安全所必需的技能该计划将侧重于综合解决问题的技能，以确保学生获得人工智能方面的知识和实践经验以及解决现实世界网络安全问题所需的其他高级分析技能。阿拉巴马大学的成功机制将被用来招收来自不同背景的学生，并支持他们在该项目中取得成功。该项目将通过与学校合作制定的正式评估策略来不断改进。 UAB 的教师该大学提供一套全面的跨学科本科课程，包括数字取证和计算机科学、网络安全硕士、数据科学硕士、计算机科学硕士和计算机科学博士课程。是网络安全中心的所在地，自 2012 年以来一直是国土安全部/国家安全管理局 HS/NSA 指定的学术卓越研究中心 (CAE-R)。此外，UAB 与联邦政府建立了牢固的合作伙伴关系、州和地方政府组织，以及在从各个资助机构、阿拉巴马州和多家跨国公司获得网络安全和数据科学资助方面有着良好的记录。最后，阿拉巴马大学凭借其专业知识和资源，在培训来自代表性不足群体的学生方面拥有出色的记录。和对多样性的承诺，UAB 的战略定位是实现本更新提案中概述的愿景。该项目得到 Cyber​​Corps® 服务奖学金 (SFS) 计划的支持，该计划资助建立或继续网络安全奖学金计划的提案，并与美国国家网络战略为了培养一支优秀的网络安全劳动力队伍，奖学金获得者必须在其奖学金支持期限内为联邦、州、地方或部落政府组织从事网络安全工作。该项目的部分资金来自 STEM 种族平等计划。教育计划（EHR 种族平等）。该计划支持研究和实践项目，研究如何将种族平等因素考虑到改善科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 教育和劳动力中。个人、社区和社会的知识和经验该计划符合 NSF 支持来自全国不同人口群体、地区和组织类型的杰出研究人员和创新思想家的核心价值观。整个 EHR 的认可，以表彰其项目与该理事会四个部门的集体研究和开发主旨的一致性。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估，被认为值得支持以及更广泛的影响审查标准。