Background

T³-CIDERS addresses the urgent need to enhance cybersecurity research and education through advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI) techniques such as artificial intelligence, big data, parallel programming, as well as advanced CI platforms, e.g., high-performance computing (HPC) systems and the cloud. Nowadays, CI skills are becoming indispensable among researchers, engineers, and practitioners in designing and securing cyber systems against increasingly sophisticated and damaging threats and attacks. Traditional cybersecurity programs often lack basic training in these advanced CI techniques, which are critical for effective state-of-the-art cyber defense and risk management. T³-CIDERS fills this gap by integrating essential CI skills into cybersecurity research and education, preparing participants to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges with advanced CI techniques and platforms.

The Train-the-Trainer Program

T³-CIDERS, short for a Train-The-Trainer approach to fostering CI– and Data-Enabled Research in CyberSecurity, introduces participants (also known as “future trainers,” or FTs) to effective training and instructional design methods to prepare them to train others in advanced CI techniques which are relevant to cybersecurity and cyber-related research. FTs will gain access to hands-on training modules in advanced CI and be exposed to evidence-based training and design methodologies. They will also receive support in preparing and carrying out their own training activities within their local academic communities. FTs will become part of a new community of practice for cybersecurity research leveraging advanced CI techniques and platforms. These activities will help broaden participation in cybersecurity research by diverse academic constituents, including underrepresented segments of the population, small colleges, and two-year community colleges.

The T³-CIDERS program has an overarching goal of creating a community of practice of next-generation cybersecurity researchers and scholars who are well-versed in using and teaching CI to accelerate research & development (R&D) in cyber-related fields. In this program, Train-the-Trainer is the primary activity to equip faculty, researchers, practitioners, and graduate students to teach CI techniques in the context of cybersecurity research at their local institutions. The infographic below shows the interrelated parts of the training program.

The following events will be offered for each cohort year:

• Pre-Training: Before the intensive part of the program begins, participants will engage in a mix of virtual synchronous and asynchronous activities to become familiar with the CI lesson modules. This phase ensures that all participants start with a foundational understanding of the necessary CI tools and techniques.
• Summer Institute: A week-long, in-person Summer Institute serves as the cornerstone of the core training. During this week, participants immerse themselves in both the technical (the “CI” contents) and pedagogical components (the “T3” contents), facilitated by experts and peers alike.
• Post-Summer Institute Learning Engagements: Following the Summer Institute, the program continues with monthly learning engagements. These sessions are designed to reinforce and expand on the CI and pedagogical skills learned during the Summer Institute. Participants also begin customizing or developing their own CI training materials, tailored to the specific needs and contexts of their own research and observed needs at their home institutions.

Please see the Cohort 2024 page to learn the specifics of this year’s program.

During the development phases, T³-CIDERS will target the academic and R&D communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the state of Arizona; additionally, an online version of this training program will expand the possibilities to instructors and researchers throughout the United States and beyond.

Train-the-Trainer Outcomes

Local training — As part of the required outcomes of the train-the-trainer program, FTs are expected to conduct at least one training activity at their local academic institution(s). FTs will be facilitated to develop a plan to sustain their local training efforts. Please refer to the Intended Outcomes to learn more about the details of the possible training activities.

High School outreach — FTs are encouraged to conduct outreach to local high schools to share the excitement on state-of-the-art cybersecurity research, as well as advanced CI methodologies which enable the research.

New CI training module(s) — As part of the ongoing activities of the community of practice, FTs will have the opportunity to design and develop additional CI training module(s) to equip aspiring researchers to undertake work in cybersecurity areas identified as prevalent and/or important by the community.

The T³-CIDERS team, along with fellow members of the newly established community of practice, will support FTs in preparing and conducting the teaching/training activities, outreach activities, as well as developing the new CI training modules.

What to Expect: The Benefits

The T³-CIDERS program is structured to provide participants with a robust educational experience, focusing on skill enhancement, the convergence of research and practice, and community building. Here are the benefits the FTs can look forward to:

Skill Enhancement

FTs will gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art CI technologies and methodologies through two specialized training tracks:

• Track 1: Compute-intensive CI — This track offers comprehensive training in high-performance computing (HPC), homomorphic encryption, and parallel programming.
• Track 2: Data-intensive CI — This track focuses on big data analytics, machine learning, and neural networks.

Participants in both tracks are expected to have basic literacy in CI (provided in the Pre-Training event) to maximize the benefits of the advanced training provided. FTs will also learn evidence-based training and design methodology to develop an effective training program to teach CI to other learners and mentor them to be competent in using CI for research in cybersecurity.

Research and Practice Convergence

The program bridges the gap between academic research and industry practice through various activities offered by the program, such as:

• Interactive Panels — Engage with industrial CI scientists from diverse fields who will discuss their experiences and insights;
• Industry Partners’ Showcase — Explore cutting-edge techniques, technologies, and the challenges facing cybersecurity;
• Problem-Solving Sessions — Work on identifying and applying the latest CI techniques to solve real-world cybersecurity problems, enhancing your practical and analytical skills.

Community Building

Join a community of practice focused on CI-enabled cybersecurity research. This network will connect FTs with peers, experts, and academic and industry leaders in order to foster collaborations that extend beyond the program. The community aims to support ongoing professional development and innovation in cybersecurity research and practices across various sectors.

Who Can Participate?

The T³-CIDERS program is designed for faculty, researchers (including postdoctoral associates), as well as graduate students(*) who are committed to expanding their teaching repertoire and research capabilities in CI techniques for cybersecurity. Cybersecurity and cyber-related fields practitioners with expertise and/or interest in leveraging CI in their work (and training CI to others) are also encouraged to join. FTs are selected through a competitive process that assesses their teaching experience, research expertise, and motivation to disseminate knowledge within their home institutions.

(* Graduate students need to be paired with a faculty member, researcher, or a postdoctoral associate in order to be eligible to join the program.)

Each year, 18-30 participants will be selected to join the T³-CIDERS’s supported FT cohort. The participants will form around 14 FT teams, each comprising a minimum of one leading member and optionally one or two additional members (see Requirements for more details).

T³-Online

Recognizing the need for flexible learning options, an online version of T³-CIDERS (called “T³-Online”) will be offered in years 2 and 3 of the project (and beyond the NSF funding period) to accommodate participants who cannot attend in person. This online platform provides an interactive and comprehensive learning experience, ensuring that all interested individuals have the opportunity to participate regardless of their location.