To increase national security for the U.S. and meet its workforce needs, cybersecurity education must develop new knowledge and skills. To address this need, the Cyber Up! Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) project at Coastline Community College in California will research, create, adapt, adopt, and implement a suite of course content that supports a Certificate of Achievement and an Associate of Science degree. The three-year project will run 10/2018-09/2021 (NSF ATE Award #1800999). 

The project will focus on the development of curricula that will teach students and professionals the cybersecurity knowledge and skills of digital forensics and incident response, which need to be deployed in real-time and are dynamic to changing situations during, and in response to, cyberattacks. Through the DFIR program, the project intends to create adoptable educational resources; form academic, government, and industry partnerships; and prepare qualified cybersecurity technicians and professionals for entry into, or advancement within, the U.S. workforce.

The DFIR distance education modalities will be designed for a national reach and assist in preparing students for successful employment. The project will also develop virtual labs and faculty resources. Because of the adoptable, modular content, other institutions can benefit through adoption into their programs, creating pathways to greater skills and knowledge for students and professionals. Increasing skills and knowledge in diverse and underrepresented populations in cybersecurity will help to assure increased participation of women, minorities, and special populations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.