CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (Renewal): CalPoly Next Generation Cyber Warriors for Big Data Security and Privacy

Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) proposes an interdisciplinary approach to cyber workforce training to serve the need for federal government to safegurad sensitive information in Big Data. This approach is firmly grounded in Big Data security and privacy, leveraging the university's track record in hands-on cyber security training and Big Data and Cloud Computing technologies. The graduates of the program will not only be able to address current Big Data security and privacy concerns as public sector employees but will also be equipped with technical know-how to address future concerns surrounding trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. CPP is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C). Through the proposed renewal program, CPP will train undergraduate and graduate students from diverse computing (Computer Science/Computer Information Systems/Electrical and Computer Engineering) backgrounds in the domain of Big Data Security and Privacy by providing (i) academic training through Information Assurance and Security (IAS) and Data Sciences classes, (ii) hands-on training in Student-Run Data Center and Security Operations Center, (iii) graduate and undergraduate research in Big Data Security and Privacy (iv) professional development and certification through participation in CPP’s Scholarship for Service Conference (SFSCon) and interactions with regional IAS organizations, (v) interpersonal skill development through poster presentations at CPP’s Annual Cyber Security Awareness Fair and K-12 student mentoring in Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot program and NSA/NSF GenCyber academic year follow-up activities. 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 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.