SaTC: EDU: Collaborative: Advancing Cybersecurity Learning Through Inquiry-based Laboratories on a Container-based Virtualization Platform

Information

  • NSF Award
  • 1912755
Owner
  • Award Id
    1912755
  • Award Effective Date
    7/1/2019 - 4 years ago
  • Award Expiration Date
    6/30/2022 - a year ago
  • Award Amount
    $ 150,000.00
  • Award Instrument
    Standard Grant

SaTC: EDU: Collaborative: Advancing Cybersecurity Learning Through Inquiry-based Laboratories on a Container-based Virtualization Platform

It is critical to educate and train a cybersecurity-capable workforce in an era where security breaches, privacy violations, and phishing scams have become commonplace. However, due to the complicated and abstract nature of many cybersecurity concepts and techniques, it is challenging for students to comprehend them in an effective manner. To address this challenge, this project seeks to create innovative learning materials and tools that can help transform the status quo of cybersecurity education. The project design is based on the inquiry-based learning model and enabled by recent advances in virtualization technology. Specifically, this project consists of a set of inquiry-based, hands-on laboratories that are hosted on an affordable, scalable, extensible, and low-maintenance container-based virtualization platform. This project meets the pressing and essential needs in cybersecurity curricula by aiding the development of new lab materials and courses for community and four-year colleges. <br/><br/>In this project, three types of hands-on labs will be designed and developed: Outreach, Core, and Advanced. Outreach labs are designed specifically for community college students to inspire their curiosity and interest in cybersecurity, and thus, to drive them to continue their study in a 4-year college. The key purpose of the core labs is to assist the learning of complicated cybersecurity concepts and technologies. The advanced labs aim at not only introducing emerging security technologies, but also inspiring students who are interested in doing research in these areas. All of our lab materials and software tools will be open-source and available to learners, educators, and researchers. Lastly, training on the container-based cloud computing platform will be offered to instructors and graduate students.<br/><br/>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.

  • Program Officer
    Li Yang
  • Min Amd Letter Date
    7/1/2019 - 4 years ago
  • Max Amd Letter Date
    7/1/2019 - 4 years ago
  • ARRA Amount

Institutions

  • Name
    Texas Christian University
  • City
    Fort Worth
  • State
    TX
  • Country
    United States
  • Address
    2800 South University Drive
  • Postal Code
    761290001
  • Phone Number
    8172577516

Investigators

  • First Name
    Liran
  • Last Name
    Ma
  • Email Address
    l.ma@tcu.edu
  • Start Date
    7/1/2019 12:00:00 AM
  • First Name
    Richard
  • Last Name
    Alexander
  • Email Address
    curby.alexander@tcu.edu
  • Start Date
    7/1/2019 12:00:00 AM

Program Element

  • Text
    Secure &Trustworthy Cyberspace
  • Code
    8060

Program Reference

  • Text
    SaTC: Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace
  • Text
    CNCI
  • Code
    7434
  • Text
    UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
  • Code
    9178
  • Text
    GRADUATE INVOLVEMENT
  • Code
    9179
  • Text
    SCIENCE, MATH, ENG & TECH EDUCATION