Traditional Computer Science programs address Information Assurance from a theoretical perspective; however, this faculty development project is adapting and implementing IA curricula with an applied approach for the educators themselves, and indirectly to their students. During the summer of 2005 the faculty of the Department of Networking, Security and Systems Administration (NSSA) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) hosted a three-day pilot Security and Forensics Workshop for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). RIT delivered curricular materials on topics aimed at cultivating faculty expertise in computer and network security and forensics through hands-on lab experiences. Building on the success of the pilot workshop, this project is developing an extended two-week summer workshop paired with ongoing support through site visits and online collaboration during the academic year to share NSSA faculty knowledge and applied technical expertise in network and systems security and forensics with the faculty at three partnering minority serving institutions: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Hampton University and Oakwood College.
This multi-university effort also is creating an environment of shared knowledge and resources through faculty collaboration that will continue into the future. The continuing partnership enables the participating institutions to make a broader impact on the future security workforce through the sharing of curricular materials and professional expertise. The participation of the MSIs allows RIT to actively participate in national efforts to recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups for graduate level education in IA.
