Senator Puts Cyber-Education Funds in Federal Checkbook for Grants to UMBC, Towson University, Harford Community College
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee,announced that the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Towson University and Harford Community College have been awarded $4,710,003 in grant funding through the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service program. As chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the NSF, Senator Mikulski puts these funds in the federal checkbook to support on-going cybersecurity education training to develop the next-generation of cyber-warriors.
“Education is the opportunity ladder of this nation and higher education is a critical rung in that ladder,” said Senator Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, which funds the NSF.
“Right now, Maryland is the global epicenter of cyber security. Every student, regardless of background, deserves a chance to excel in those fields. Maryland cyber graduates are in demand to fill the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. I’m proud to put funds in the federal checkbook to support these cutting-edge programs preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s careers.”
All the awards were made through NSF’s CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service program. Under this national program, college students who are training in selected cybersecurity programs receive a scholarship that covers up to two years of tuition, room, and board, along with a stipend. In return, the students serve in Federal cybersecurity position for two years.
The three grant awards include:
· The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) received a $2,542,169 multi-year grant with $760,540 for the first year for scholars to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees through cybersecurity courses in the university’s Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Students also engage in mentored research projects at partner organizations, including Northrop Grumman, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, Convergent Technologies, Department of Defense Cyber Crime Institute, and Parabal. Current projects include digital cloud forensics, forensics visualization, high-security voting systems, and delay- and disruption-tolerant networks for a solar system Internet.
· Towson University received a $2,093,834 multi-year grant with $681,377 for the first year to fund two-year scholarships for up to thirty undergraduate Computer Science students in the Security Track. Towson University works with its partners, Anne Arundel Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, Harford Community College to recruit highly-qualified computing students with particular attention to groups underrepresented in cybersecurity. This program leverages Towson University’s exisitng collaborations with military, state and Federal agencies to facilitate internships and job placements. This program provides scholarship recipients with security-related research projects, monthly seminars on security-related topics, and participation in a computer security student club and cyber defense competitions.
· Harford Community College received a one-time grant for $74,000 for its part in the Regional Cybersecurity Education Initiative, formed by the University of Delaware, Delaware Technical and Community College, and Harford Community College along with government
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