The National Science Foundation CyberCorps grant will aid in the development of a robust cybersecurity workforce.

UNITED STATES – SEPTEMBER 18: The U.S. Capitol building as seen from the Senate side on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Cybersecurity efforts and infrastructures are paramount to protect the digital world from ever-growing cybersecurity threats.  Working to combat these threats and bolster national cybersecurity, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute (ISI) a $3.66 million grant through their CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program.

The goal of the SFS grant is to curate a superior national workforce in cybersecurity, aligning with ISI’s Master of Science in Security Informatics (MSSI) program goals.

Allocated over five years, this grant will fund tuition, fees, living stipend, and materials for graduate students in the MSSI program. The grant is intended to support three to four students in full every year.

Following the completion of their program, recipients are required to dedicate work to a government entity equal to the time of their funded education. As cyber threats grow at home and abroad, the need for a strong, apt workforce in the field is of national importance.

“We’re delighted with this award, which renews the longstanding partnership between NSF and ISI through the SFS program,” said Anton Dahbura, executive director of ISI and associate research scientist in computer science. “Thanks to ISI’s new affiliation with the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy, we’re preparing our students for the additional challenges of protecting AI-driven systems.”

The MSSI program is rooted in practical application, preparing the graduates to be immediate contributors to the cybersecurity space.  Program highlights include courses in security and privacy, cryptography, computer forensics, software vulnerability analysis, as well as the opportunity to seek a dual-degree in computer science, applied mathematics, health science, and national security.

The cutting-edge program offers multiple other scholarship opportunities for students and boasts the nation’s first program focused on healthcare information security, supported by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

“The MSSI program constantly updates a curriculum that combines technology, policy, and management courses, as well as ample research opportunities. We offer our students a rounded educational experience so that they are adequately prepared to play critical roles in the cybersecurity workforce,” said Xiangyang Li, a senior lecturer and program director for the MSSI program.

The SFS grant will be available for allocation to students starting on May 15, 2022.