Collaborative Research: CHIPS: TCUP Cyber Consortium Advancing Computer Science Education (TCACSE)

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's students. Expanding the STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands the opportunities for their students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies, and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. This project aligns directly with that goal, allowing the institutions to design and develop a comprehensive plan for improving and expanding STEM instruction, and moreover may serve as a model and impetus for similar institutions of higher education to develop collaborative degree programs. It further supports the participating colleges’ missions to provide STEM instruction to the communities they serve. The TCUP Cyber Consortium Advancing Computer Science Education (TCACSE) improves the computer science and cybersecurity training for regional workforces in the communities served by Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC), United Tribes Technical College (UTTC), Windward Community College (WCC), Sitting Bull College (SBC), and Little Priest Tribal College. The project is building and enhancing computer science curricula that improve the fundamental skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, coding, and collaboration used in academic or research activities, and building capacity to support education and research in computing related fields of national interest, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data science, and computer science education. The collaborative project is bridging the gap between Tribal education, workforce, and U.S. cybersecurity needs by building a supportive model for cyber education. 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.