NSF provides scholarships for service to support urgent need for cybersecurity professionals
To address the demand for dedicated cybersecurity professionals, particularly in government agencies, the U.S. National Science Foundation is investing in eight new CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service grants. This investment will increase the volume and strength of the nation's cybersecurity workforce by providing full scholarships and stipends to students who agree to work in cybersecurity jobs for federal, state, local or tribal governments after graduation.
NSF is providing more than $29 million in scholarships over the next five years to eight universities. These new grantees join the current 82 universities that are part of the NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, representing 37 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Awardees plan to provide critical training related to autonomous systems and artificial intelligence, develop next generation cybersecurity engineering, strengthen aviation and aerospace cybersecurity, and shape the cybersecurity workforce of today and tomorrow.
"As cyber threats continue to evolve in complexity, so must our approaches to cybersecurity education and our workforce," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "The cybersecurity talent shortage remains a critical issue in the United States, with businesses and government agencies alike struggling to fill critical cybersecurity positions. These new CyberCorps Scholarship for Service projects engage diverse student populations and provide innovative and high-quality educational experiences that will ensure our nation is prepared to meet future cyberthreats with a well-trained workforce."
2022 awardees are listed below.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Cyber Defense of Intelligent Systems, Oakland University.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Preparing Future Cybersecurity Professionals with Data Science Expertise, Fordham University.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Building the Next Generation Cybersecurity Engineering Workforce, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Expanding and Strengthening the National Cybersecurity Workforce, State University of New York at Binghamton.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Cybersecurity Workforce Preparation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Georgia State University.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Developing the Cybersecurity Workforce in West Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, University of Memphis.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Preparing an Interdisciplinary Next-Gen Cybersecurity Workforce, University of Nevada, Reno.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: High-skilled Workforce Development for the Aviation and Aerospace Cybersecurity Domains, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
As cybersecurity is key to national security, the NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program helps the nation respond to the unique challenges of recruiting and retaining cybersecurity professionals for careers serving in local, state, federal or tribal governments. These projects support the education and professional development of future cybersecurity professionals and increase the vitality of cybersecurity preparedness for the nation.
All projects include efforts to promote the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body to improve the representation of groups historically underrepresented in cybersecurity careers, including minorities, women, first-generation/low-income students, students with disabilities, and veterans.
These projects are selected for the diverse populations they serve, their connections with local colleges and communities, and the robustness of their cybersecurity programs. Scholarship recipients benefit from innovative, interdisciplinary programs in cybersecurity education and professional development.
More information about the NSF CyberCorps Scholarships for Service program can be found at nsf.gov.