Equipment: HSI:ELPSE Enhancing Cybersecurity Education through Real-World Security Operations Training

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Educational Instrumentation project at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP) will strengthen undergraduate learning in cybersecurity. Specifically, this project will secure Security Operations Center (SOC) equipment including servers, workstations, monitoring tools, intrusion detection systems, and other relevant hardware and software. Once operational the SOC will be student-run, thus bridging theoretical knowledge and practical application and enhancing hands-on student learning in cybersecurity curricular and cocurricular activities. A student-run SOC equipped with the latest technology will enable students to simulate and respond to real-world cyber threats, enriching their educational experience, thus creating a robust, hands-on learning environment that prepares students for cybersecurity careers. An estimated 993 students and fifteen faculty will utilize the project-funded equipment each year. In addition to providing improved experiences in cybersecurity courses, the new equipment will also be used in student cybersecurity competitions and undergraduate research and independent projects. The project aims to train faculty in the use of the SOC equipment, create lab modules based on new equipment, integrate SOC-based lab modules into cybersecurity courses, focusing on threat detection, incident response, and security analysis, and provide training for students on using SOC equipment and handling common cybersecurity threats. The goal of this project is to enrich the learning and experiences of undergraduate students by providing critical computer servers and software in cybersecurity, which simulate the real-world information system security environment and allow students to practice and grasp hands-on experiences with cybersecurity operation, penetration, and auditing skills. The project will assess the impact of the project funded equipment using both formative and summative assessment methods. The project team will use a mixed methods research design, including pre-post surveys, interviews, and focused group discussions, to examine both the impact of the SOC on the sense of belonging and professional identities of STEM students and on faculty training efforts. This project is funded by the HSI Program, which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. 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.