Norwich University, a designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Digital Forensics, 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. Norwich SFS students develop a thorough commitment to a multi-disciplinary perspective on computer security, with awareness on integrating technology with human factors. This is done within a program that emphasizes internships and activities in the academic year. The program's strong mentoring component promotes a cooperative culture that scholars can leverage as they transition into the workplace. 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.
As the Nation's oldest private military college, Norwich graduates have served to address threats for nearly 200 years. Many threats facing American society today, come in the form of cybercrime and cyberterrorism. The project addresses these new threats of the cyber-realm through the following strategies: providing pathways for students wishing to serve the nation in cybersecurity; fostering a culture of exploration and examination of the cyber-realm, with a focus on misuse and mitigation strategies; improving academic research and experiential learning opportunities and promoting publication; and fostering relationships with government to increase internship and employment opportunities. The project plans improving the participation of women, underrepresented minorities, and veterans; furthering undergraduate research opportunities to establish a science of cybersecurity; and coordinating outreach activities led by SFS students to increase interest in cybersecurity and promote public engagement.
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.
