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Mikulski Tours Hagerstown Community College STEM Building and Announces $713,996 Federal Grant to Prepare Students for Cybersecurity Jobs(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- The office of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today announced $713,996 in federal funds has been awarded to Hagerstown Community College (HCC) to prepare students for cybersecurity jobs. These federal dollars from National Science Foundation (NSF) will enhance the college's cybersecurity curriculum and provide its students with more opportunities for hands-on research through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute. It will also be used to recruit students to the cybersecurity program, particularly women and minorities. "Because of Maryland's world-class educational institutions, unique federal assets and dynamic private sector, Maryland is the epicenter of cybersecurity," Senator Mikulski said. "Here at Hagerstown Community College, I'm announcing funds in the federal checkbook to prepare students to be our first line of defense against cyber-attacks, making our nation safer and Maryland's economy stronger. I will continue to fight for Hagerstown jobs and work to grow our cybersecurity workforce, supporting jobs today and jobs tomorrow." "We are extremely pleased to receive this grant from the NSF," said HCC President Guy Altieri. "The partnership with the Johns Hopkins University will add greatly to our capabilities in cybersecurity, providing opportunities for our students to interact with JHU's world-class cybersecurity research faculty members associated with the Information Security Institute. It will also further strengthen the curriculum and opportunities for our STEMM Technical Middle College students in the cybersecurity pathway." Senator Mikulski toured the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Building to meet with students and teachers and see first-hand learning and hands-on training in cybersecurity. As Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, Senator Mikulski puts funds in the federal checkbook for the NSF, and as a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, she served on the Cyber Security Task Force. Hagerstown Community College will use the federal grant to strengthen its cybersecurity curriculum to optimize the use of technology and address emerging issues in cybersecurity. HCC will partner with the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute to give HCC students the opportunity to conduct research and complete hands-on training in the context of real-life problems with graduate students and faculty at the University. HCC will also engage business and industry partners to measure the outcomes of the program and develop sustainable strategies to continue to grow and diversify the cybersecurity workforce. This grant is funded through the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education Advanced Technological Education program. The program focuses on educating technicians in high-technology fields through partnerships between academic institutions and industry to promote improvement of the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. For more information, please visit http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464&org=NSF. TNS30VitinMar-140925-4873409 30VitinMar (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |