Context: In conjunction with its annual symposium, the National Centers of Academic Excellence Community of Practice in Research (NCAE CoP-R) is seeking to establish a series of special topics workshops. The purpose of these invitation-only workshops is to bring together small groups of researchers from CAE-R institutions and government agencies/laboratories to explore current or emerging challenges to our nation’s Cybersecurity posture. The goal of these workshops is to establish a foundation to enable future collaborative education or applied research projects between CAE-R institutions and government agencies/laboratories, taking an integrative approach to both education and applied research.

Call for Proposals: The inaugural special topics workshop will take place on June 10, 2022 in conjunction with the annual NCAE CoP-R Symposium immediately following the NCAE Symposium (held on June 9, 2022) in Atlanta Georgia (after the NICE Conference and Expo, held on June 6-8).

Any research-active faculty from a CAE-R institution may submit a proposal as workshop organizer in response to this solicitation. There is a limit of at most two submissions per CAE-R institution. Proposal submission is facilitated through EasyChair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=copr2022) and must be received no later than 11:59pm Pacific Daylight Time on April 30, 2022. All submissions will be reviewed by the NCAE CoP-R Symposium Program Committee. Only one workshop proposal will be selected and notifications will be sent out by May 9, 2022.

Each proposal (submitted as a single PDF) must include the following:

1. Title page:
   1. Proposed workshop topic
   2. Name, title, affiliation, and contact information of the workshop organizer 
2. Main section (no more than 3 pages – 1 inch margins, single spaced, 11 pt. font)
   1. A brief description of the proposed workshop topic and its relevance, significance, and impact on the Cybersecurity posture of the nation. Discussion on how this topic necessitates an integrated approach to education and applied research.
   2. A proposed list of potential invited workshop participants from CAE-R institutions, with a brief discussion on their qualifications in regards to the proposed workshop topic. All participants must be from CAE-R institutions. Within the list of potential participants, the workshop organizer should identify an alternate (or co-organizer). The number of workshop participants from CAE-R institutions will be limited to no more than 8 invited participants (including the workshop organizer and alternate/co-organizer). The proposed list of participants may include more than 8 suggestions as not all potential participants may be selected. 
   3. The proposed workshop format with a tentative agenda (the workshop duration should be between 4 and 6 hours).
3. References (as applicable).
4. 2-page CVs (e.g., NSF-style biosketch) for the workshop organizer.

The NCAE CoP-R Symposium Program Committee will identify and invite at least two representatives from government agencies/laboratories who will also attend the workshop in addition to the other invited participants.

Travel support may be provided for up to 8 participants from CAE-R institutions who are US citizens or permanent residents.

The workshop organizer, with the help of the workshop participants, will prepare and submit a report, no later than 2 months after the workshop, on the workshop findings, recommendations, and future directions pertaining to education and/or applied research, to the co-leads of the NCAE CoP-R. 

NCAE CoP-R Symposium Program Committee:

Agnes Chan

Cynthia Irvine

Shambhu Upadhyaya

Eugene Vasserman

Susanne Wetzel