Award Abstract # 0856482
Cyber Security Education Consortium (CSEC): Reversing the Outsourcing Tide in Mission-Critical Disciplines

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF TULSA
Initial Amendment Date: August 27, 2009
Latest Amendment Date: August 10, 2016
Award Number: 0856482
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: R. Corby Hovis
chovis@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4625
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: October 1, 2009
End Date: September 30, 2017 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $2,700,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $2,700,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2009 = $900,000.00
FY 2010 = $900,000.00

FY 2011 = $900,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • Sujeet Shenoi (Principal Investigator)
    sujeet@utulsa.edu
  • Sheryl Hale (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Thomas Pigg (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Jim Edwards (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Martha Hogan (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Tulsa
800 S TUCKER DR
TULSA
OK  US  74104-9700
(918)631-2192
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: University of Tulsa
800 S TUCKER DR
TULSA
OK  US  74104-9700
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): P23YK1EKPS51
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math,
Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source: 04000910DB NSF Education & Human Resource
04001011DB NSF Education & Human Resource

04001112DB NSF Education & Human Resource

1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF
Program Reference Code(s): 1032, 9150, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 1536, 7412
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

In 2004, the Oklahoma Center for Information Assurance and Forensics Education, which was subsequently renamed the Cyber Security Education Consortium (CSEC), was established as an ATE regional center for cybersecurity education (NSF Award No. 0355246) serving the state of Oklahoma and sections of surrounding states. Following four successful years of operation, the current grant renews the center for a second phase.

With broad support from business and industry, government agencies, law enforcement, the military, and the intelligence community, CSEC is creating a high-tech workforce in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. The goal is to bring jobs to this eight-state region, where the quality of life is good and costs are low, and to reverse the tide of outsourcing and offshoring that has sent so many specialized high-tech jobs and facilities overseas. The center is implementing high-quality cybersecurity education programs in 19 metropolitan areas (31 educational institutions), which comprise eight of the 50 largest cities in the country (Dallas, St. Louis, Denver, San Antonio, Kansas City, Nashville, Memphis, and Oklahoma City) and 11 other mid-sized cities (Tulsa, Knoxville, Little Rock, Colorado Springs, Wichita, Shreveport, Chattanooga, Fayetteville [AR], Springfield [MO], Fort Smith [AR], and Topeka).

CSEC is a cohesive partnership of technology centers, community colleges, and the University of Tulsa, one of the premier NSA Centers of Excellence for Information Assurance Education, which serves as a mentor to the other institutions. The center offers courses, certificate programs, and degree programs for college students and professional development for faculty members. In addition, the center provides education and training opportunities to transitional adults and high school students. Articulation agreements provide students with seamless educational pathways, allowing them to move from associate degree programs to bachelor's degree programs to master's and doctoral programs. The center's faculty development initiative incorporates an effective "train the trainer" model, which trained 105 instructors during the center's first four years. Faculty have access to a year-long residency program at the University of Tulsa, in which they receive intensive training and may pursue MS or PhD studies; a 25-day certificate program, which prepares instructors to teach courses in each of five core cybersecurity areas; multi-day workshops offered at locations around the country; and quarterly curriculum working group meetings.

CSEC institutions implement a comprehensive, nationally recognized cybersecurity curriculum covering five core areas: information assurance, secure electronic commerce, network security, enterprise security management, and digital forensics. The curriculum blends theory and practice, legal and ethical issues, and an intense laboratory component. It is incorporated in degree and certificate programs and maps to industry (Cisco, Microsoft), vendor-neutral (Security+, SCNP/SCNA), and federal (CNSS 4011-16) certifications.

A major focus in the center's second phase is the creation of curricula in the strategic areas of secure coding, automation and control systems, and mobile communications devices--areas in which a significant demand for experts has emerged. Each of these three specialized curricula involves a foundational course, one or more advanced courses, and a capstone course, which culminates in students (including incumbent workers) receiving a certification in the technical area.

An organizational focus of the center's second phase is the creation of "centers of excellence" in every major city in the eight-state region. These centers focus on a curricular area (such as secure coding, automation and control systems, or mobile communications devices) driven by local industry needs, and serve as hubs for education, training, and outreach activities in their focus area, catalyzing job creation and economic development.

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 Cyber Security Education Consortium is a cohesive partnership of two-year institutions in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, and the University of Tulsa, which mentors the institutions.   As an NSF ATE Regional Center, CSEC has sought to: (i) develop and disseminate cyber security curricula of the highest quality; (ii) train instructors and build thriving cyber security programs; and (iii) create a cadre of skilled professionals who will stimulate job growth and economic development in its eight-state region. Simultaneously, CSEC has attempted to create centers of excellence and special programs in automation and control systems, secure coding and mobile communications devices.

As of the project end-date of September 30, 2017, 40 two-year institutions were active in CSEC and were offering courses based on CSEC’s core cyber security curriculum.  Since the start of this project in 2010, CSEC has assisted 26 two-year consortium institutions in building cyber security programs.  One institution, Red Rocks Community College (Lakewood, CO), received a prestigious Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE/2Y) designation from the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security in 2016-17.

At the start of this project, only two CSEC members, Oklahoma City Community College (Oklahoma City, OK) and Rose State College (Midwest City, OK), were designated as CAE/2Y institutions.  As of the project end-date, nine CSEC institutions have received CAE/2Y designations:  (i) Bossier Parish Community College (Bossier City, LA); (ii) Francis Tuttle Technology Center (Oklahoma City, OK); (iii) Jackson State Community College (Jackson, TN); (iv) Manhattan Area Technical College (Manhattan, KS); (v) Oklahoma City Community College (Oklahoma City, OK); (vi) Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (Stillwater, OK); (vii) Richland College (Dallas, TX); (viii) Red Rocks Community College (Lakewood, CO);  and (ix) Rose State College (Midwest City, OK). 

To increase capacity and build cyber security programs at two-year institutions in its eight-state region of operation, CSEC operated a most popular program involving 25-day workshops for new instructors to enable them to teach the five core courses in the CSEC curriculum: (i) Information Assurance Principles; (ii) Secure Electronic Commerce; (iii) Network Security; (iv) Enterprise Security Management; and (v) Digital Forensics (five days per core area).  Since CSEC’s previous final report in 2011, 183 CSEC instructors have participated in the program – 408 instructors since CSEC’s inception.  CSEC’s remarkable growth is largely due to this highly successful program, which covers theory and practice and provides an intense hands-on laboratory component. Instructors are also coached on teaching techniques and approaches for upgrading technical content.

CSEC institutions have designed and implemented rigorous cyber security curricula encompassing the five core areas listed above.  The core areas cover the breadth of the discipline, including its technical, operational and managerial dimensions and legal and ethical issues.  New CSEC institutions have modeled their academic programs on the five core areas.  CSEC has also created centers of excellence and special programs in automation and control systems and advanced curricula in secure coding and mobile communications devices. As of the project end-date, CSEC institutions offered more than 75 distinct cyber security courses, 17 A.A.S. or A.S. degrees, 26 certificates of mastery and two B.T. degrees. CSEC institutions have instituted 123 articulation agreements that provide students with advanced placement, dual enrollment or cyber security course credit.

During 2016-17, CSEC institutions had 1,346 security degree majors and 303 students pursuing security-related certifications. In total, CSEC institutions had 2,605 security-related student enrollments.  In 2016-17, 188 students graduated with associate’s degrees, 41 students graduated with bachelor’s degrees and 321 completed certificate programs; also, 42 CNSS certificates were awarded to CSEC students.  CSEC institutions also served 522 incumbent workers who attended symposia or multi-day courses.

Since CSEC’s previous NSF ATE final report in 2011, 1,080 students have received associate’s degrees in cyber security and 230 have received bachelor’s degrees.  Meanwhile 1,184 students have completed certificate programs and CSEC institutions have awarded a total of 1,208 CNSS certificates.

Since CSEC’s inception in 2004, 1,630 students have received associate’s degrees in cyber security and 401 have completed bachelor’s degree programs.  Meanwhile 2,199 students have completed certificate programs and CSEC institutions have awarded a total of 2,278 CNSS certificates.   

Over its lifetime, CSEC has assisted at least 75 two-year institutions in its eight-state region and 50 institutions elsewhere in the country in training instructors, developing curricula and building cyber security programs.

CSEC has also helped support and grow the IT-based industry in its eight-state region.  Over its lifetime, CSEC institutions have educated and trained at least 11,000 students and members of the workforce in cyber security, setting them on the path to successful professional careers.  Indeed, CSEC’s academic and workforce development initiatives have served as mechanisms for reducing the outsourcing and offshoring of information technology jobs, in general, and cyber security jobs, in particular.


Last Modified: 11/10/2017
Modified by: Sujeet Shenoi

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