Washington State University researchers have received a $3.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that will support a scholarship and education program for students in cybersecurity.
The grant is the first large-scale, multi-year NSF award for cybersecurity workforce training in Washington and one of a few in the Pacific Northwest.
The five-year CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program aims to educate and train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals for federal, state, and local government positions. The program, which gets underway this spring, will provide full tuition scholarships and living stipends for up to three years for as many as 20 undergraduates and six graduate students with the understanding that they commit to working for the government after graduation. Students accepted into the program, who must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, agree to work for the U.S. government for as many years as they receive the scholarship.
“With increasing complexity and connectivity in modern computing environments, the risk and cost of cyber-attacks on our national assets and critical infrastructure continue to rise,” said Assefaw Gebremedhin, associate professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science who is leading the project. “There is an urgent demand for universities to cultivate highly skilled cybersecurity professionals who can fill the workforce gap, particularly within the government sector.”
As part of the program, students will work with faculty mentors conducting research in computing and cybersecurity, including in software supply chain, cyber-physical systems, cryptography, artificial intelligence and machine learning, hardware security, and web security. Students may also receive additional support for travel to conferences or for research materials, books, and supplies. In addition to Gebremedhin, the WSU faculty members working on the project include Monowar Hasan, Feng-Hao Liu, and Jana Doppa in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
The program is unique in its emphasis on a comprehensive, hands-on training in security across the entire computing stack, including hardware, systems, software, and web, and students will learn how emerging artificial intelligence and cryptography concepts can be used to build more resilient systems.
“This prestigious award will significantly impact training for the next generation of the cybersecurity workforce,” said Partha Pande, interim dean of Voiland College and Engineering and Architecture. “It will help to train Washington students and bolster the cybersecurity workforce within the state and nation.”
The program builds on WSU’s new bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, which got underway in 2023, and WSU’s VICEROY Institute for Cybersecurity Education and Research (CySER), which is one of 13 virtual institutes for cybersecurity and electromagnetic spectrum training in the U.S. The CySER program trains ROTC and DOD-skilled civilian workers in cyber basics, operations, or defense, offering bachelor’s degrees as well as specialized certificates.
“We are excited to start this new program at WSU,” said Ananth Kalyanaraman, interim director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “The award will strengthen our ongoing growth in cybersecurity programs and initiatives, attract more students and faculty, and create new opportunities for our graduates to step into high-paying and satisfying careers.”
