Iowa State relaunches CyberCorps to train cybersecurity professionals

Iowa State University Revives Cybersecurity Scholarship Initiative

As the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals continues to rise, Iowa State University is set to play a pivotal role in meeting this need. With the support of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the university will relaunch its participation in the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, a move that promises to bolster the nation’s defense against cyber threats.

The NSF has committed $15 million in grants to four academic institutions, including Iowa State. This funding aims to support students pursuing cybersecurity careers in various government sectors. Iowa State will receive $3.7 million over the next five years, providing scholarships for 24 students enrolled in the master’s degree program in cybersecurity. Each scholarship is valued at approximately $50,000 annually, covering full tuition and a stipend.

NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan highlighted the importance of these initiatives, stating, “For nearly 25 years, the Scholarship for Service program has been addressing the nation’s critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the field.” The upcoming cohort will focus on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity for smart manufacturing.

Doug Jacobson, who serves as both a University Professor and the Sunil and Sujata Gaitonde Professor in Cybersecurity at Iowa State, will lead this program. Joining him are Manimaran Govindarasu, an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering, and Berk Gulmezoglu, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Jacobson shared that Iowa State had been part of the scholarship for service program for two decades before pausing to establish an undergraduate major in cyber security engineering. With the undergraduate program now attracting approximately 180 students annually, the graduate program is poised to restart in the fall of 2025 as “CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Training Iowa’s Cyber Talents to Protect the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure.”

This initiative is designed to meet the increasing demand for a well-trained cybersecurity workforce, particularly in the realm of critical infrastructure protection. As outlined in a program summary, students will be prepared to safeguard vital systems such as energy grids and telecommunications networks, which are essential for the nation’s security and economic stability.

“This is a competitive program,” Jacobson noted. “To get funding again says quite a bit about our program. In the first 20 years we were part of it, we produced more than 80 students who worked for the federal government.” He added that the thriving undergraduate program would provide a pipeline of students into the newly revived scholarship initiative.