BMCC - ATE Project: Online Cybersecurity Certificate with Stackable Credentials

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The "BMCC - ATE Project: Online Cybersecurity Certificate with Stackable Credentials" project seeks to train a cadre of cybersecurity technicians through the creation of a certificate program in cybersecurity by building upon the experience and knowledge gained from its previous ATE project in cybersecurity.

The certificate program will address the critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals by targeting the populations of high school students and incumbent workers. By mapping stackable credentials such as industry certifications or prior experiences to credit bearing college courses, the program will enable students to complete the program in a timely manner. Since the curriculum of the certificate consist of college courses, upon completion of the program, individuals will be able to continue towards their Associates in Science degree and transfer to a senior college for their bachelor's degree.

In creating the 30 credit certification the project will modify the cybersecurity courses that have been developed by the previous NSF-ATE project in Cybersecurity and adapt them for delivery online. By offering these courses online, the project not only enables the individuals participate at their convenience but also protects them from undue exposure to possible infections.

The program will offer a wide-range of enrichment activities, such as summer bridge courses, industry certification workshops and career talk panels which will assist the participants gain knowledge about the industry.

In developing the online certification, the project will not only leverage the already established bodies of knowledge by NSF ATE Centers in Cybersecurity through adoption of curricula and faculty development activities, but also will contribute to the knowledge and collaboration among the Cybersecurity community.

See the 2022 ATE Principal Investigators Conference Flyer here

PROJECT GOALS:

Goal 1 (Program Development and Improvement) Produce a cadre of qualified Cybersecurity technicians to meet workforce demands by developing and implementing curricula that incorporate scientific advances, interdisciplinary perspectives and effective use of industry driven Cybersecurity technologies
Objective 1.1	Create a stackable credential online Cybersecurity certificate impacting no fewer than 100 students by 2023
Objective 1.2	Adapt ten (10) existing Cybersecurity courses to be delivered online by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.3	Offer no fewer than three (3) certification workshops by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.4	Offer no fewer than twelve (12) internship positions by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.5	Conduct three (3) Advisory Board meetings by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.6	Create a Virtual Cybersecurity Lab by 10/1/2021
Objective 1.7	Organize six (6) Academic Advisement workshops by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.8	Offer Summer Bridge Courses to no fewer than 30 high school students by 10/1/2023
Objective 1.9	Arrange three (3) Career Day Seminars by 10/1/2023
Goal 2: (Professional Development for Educators) Ensure the development of a diverse, intellectually vigorous faculty committed to the improvement of Cybersecurity education at the undergraduate level.
Objective 2.1	Train no fewer than 10 instructors in the delivery of online content of new technologies in Cybersecurity.
Objective 2.2	Attend/Present at no fewer than three (3) conferences by 2023 on topics of Cybersecurity
Objective 2.3	Conduct no fewer than three (3) workshops by 2023 as a part of the Cybersecurity Professional Learning Community
Objective 2.4	Establish a cohort of no fewer than fifteen (15) tutors trained in Cybersecurity.

PROJECT CONTACTS:

Mete Kok	amkok@bmcc.cuny.edu	Principal Investigator
Ching-Song Don Wei	cwei@bmcc.cuny.edu	Co-Principal Investigator
Mohammad Azhar	mazhar@bmcc.cuny.edu	Co-Principal Investigator

NSF DUE: 2100225