This project establishes a regional consortium of schools that can provide a program of curriculum support and faculty development to address dual goals of strengthening and supporting existing faculty and enlarging the pool of qualified faculty in information assurance and computer security. Project activities include conducting workshops and mentoring programs to increase the production of information assurance and computer security professionals in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of this proposal is the transfer and dissemination of curricular content and the development of partnerships in a network of higher education institutions in order to advance knowledge within the information assurance field. This proposal impacts the number and quality of faculty capable of teaching and conducting research in the field. The project uses a mentoring model that starts with the partner institutions in this project and subsequently has the potential of replication beyond the initial cohort of colleges. This transfer of knowledge also stimulates research and positively impact the job market as an increased number of graduates are prepared to enter employment in high demand areas. In addition, the involvement of tribal colleges produces a faculty development model that other Native American universities can follow.
Broader Impact: The broader impact of the project is the dissemination of the well-developed information security knowledge and infrastructure to regional institutions. The project plans an initial cohort of 36 faculty members. In addition, preference in participation in the project is given to teams that include women or minority faculty or administrators. The initial cohort of 36 faculty will in turn mentor others to further expand the reach of the project.
