| NSF Org: |
DGE Division Of Graduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | December 5, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | December 18, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 1753857 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Li Yang
liyang@nsf.gov (703)292-0000 DGE Division Of Graduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | January 1, 2018 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $5,046,316.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $5,046,316.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2020 = $1,432,070.00 FY 2021 = $1,226,580.00 FY 2023 = $746,989.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3112 LEE BUILDING COLLEGE PARK MD US 20742-5100 (301)405-6269 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
MD US 20782-1420 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | CYBERCORPS: SCHLAR FOR SER |
| Primary Program Source: |
04002122DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04002021DB NSF Education & Human Resource 04001819DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
National and personal security have become major concerns as we continue to increase our reliance on technological advancements. The growth of innovation must mirror the expansion of trained professionals. The University of Maryland (UMD), a National Security Agency - Center of Academic Excellence in Research (CAE-R), proposes to lead the challenge of educating the next cyber workforce through the creation of the Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES) Program, the first undergraduate honors program in cybersecurity in the United States. The CyberCorps(R): Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at UMD will provide a unique opportunity for 36 ACES students earn their Bachelor's degree with an ACES Minor in cybersecurity, and prepare them to join the cadre of cybersecurity professionals in the government.
The ACES program aims to provide a unique, multidisciplinary education for a diverse group of undergraduate students of all majors. The curriculum will allow students to live together, use embedded, state-of-the-art laboratories, and work collaboratively inside and outside the classroom. In addition to fulfilling rigorous, required coursework in topics such as Cyber Policy, Psychology, and Reverse Engineering, ACES strongly emphasizes experiential learning by providing opportunities for individual and group research projects, as well as academic term and summer internships. In local middle and high schools, students will have an opportunity to work in CyberPatriot teams and participate in CyberSTEM summer camps (day and residential) and cybersecurity awareness workshops. The SFS program will enhance the university's goal of training a workforce with a range of talents, backgrounds, and expertise that can meet the cybersecurity needs of the government.
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.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The SFS for ACES program is focused on strengthening and diversifying the federal cybersecurity workforce by providing funding for talented students to pursue a rigorous, multidisciplinary cybersecurity education. In turn, awarded students serve in full-time cybersecurity positions in the federal government, post-graduation, for a period of time equivalent to the length of their scholarship. During the grant period, SFS for ACES enrolled a total of 37 recipients. To date, 22 have graduated and are fulfilling or have fulfilled their employment commitment, with 13 set to graduate within three years.
Intellectual Merit
While pursuing their B.S. or B.S./M.S. degree, SFS recipients complete a 16-17 credit minor in the Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES) Program. ACES, the first undergraduate honors program in cybersecurity in the United States, provides a unique, multidisciplinary education for a diverse group of exceptional undergraduate honors students of all majors. The ACES Minor provides students the opportunity to explore cybersecurity at an advanced level through technical and non-technical course work, group projects, internship and research opportunities. SFS students, regardless of major, report that the ACES courses provide them with technical knowledge; multidisciplinary collaboration skills as they engage in project-based learning; and opportunities to learn from full-time faculty and professionals in the cybersecurity workforce.
SFS students participate in experiential learning activities to gain hands-on experience with real-world problems. The ACES Minor requires three credits of experiential learning, which can be earned via research, team problem solving, or internship reflection classes. Additionally, SFS students are required to complete a cybersecurity internship with the federal government during the summers between their scholarship years.
To support leadership development and enhance communication skills, SFS students are required to complete 40 hours of community outreach. Students complete these hours through various means, including participation in cyber-oriented events and clubs, service to the ACES program, peer mentoring, or other cyber-related volunteer activities.
Broader Impacts
Cybersecurity requires a workforce with a range of talents, backgrounds, and expertise to meet current and future workforce demands. We prioritize recruiting and retaining an academically high-achieving student body that is diverse in gender, race/ethnicity, and academic discipline. We also prioritize strong relationships with ACES governmental and corporate partners, as exemplified by the Educational Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the National Security Agency (NSA). The EPA allows for information flow between the cybersecurity workforce and academia and provides meaningful networking and engagement opportunities for students and cybersecurity professionals.
In the CyberConnect Mentoring Program, students are matched with cybersecurity professionals and engage in mutual learning through individual connections and development sessions, which emphasize both technical and nontechnical skill building. All SFS students are required to complete at least one year of CyberConnect. 100% of SFS students indicated that their long term career plans will involve cybersecurity and 52% of SFS students planned to work for the government long-term (10+yrs).
Significant Results
SFS for ACES has enrolled a total of 37 students over six cohorts. 37.8% are female/non-binary students and 13.5% are URM students.
100% of the 31 SFS students who have completed at least one academic year completed a federal internship.
Twenty-two SFS students have graduated with a B.S. or a B.S./M.S. degree and a cybersecurity minor. 90% of graduated students have secured an eligible full-time position, with 100% securing their position within 18 months of graduating.
The SFS for ACES award alleviated student concerns about educational expenses:
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“The financial relief I am receiving from the program has greatly assisted me in reducing my stress levels during the semester and focusing on what I need to get done to best support my future aspirations.”
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“The program opened up countless doors and allowed me to get my graduate degree, which is definitely something I would not have done without the scholarship.”
SFS for ACES provided important professional development and skill building opportunities:
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[The] “career fair in DC was a great networking opportunity…SFS allowed me to focus on my education, gain internship and professional opportunities, and connect with professionals for mentoring.”
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“SFS gave me access to help planning a career path as well as internships and allowed me to pursue my interests with guidance.”
SFS for ACES helped students refine their career goals and provided resources for pursuing those goals:
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“It shaped the course of my career to focus on cyber… it made it a lot easier to get certifications, and it I think has made it easier for me to find a government cyber job.”
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“The SFS scholarship has truly allowed me to not only afford to stay at the University of Maryland but has also opened many doors to the professional world. My goal has always been to work in cybersecurity and I will be returning this summer for my second government internship in cyber.”
Last Modified: 02/02/2024
Modified by: Michel Cukier
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