Collaborative research: cybertraining: implementation: medium: engaging scholars in cybersecurity analysis: a laboratory for teaching and education (escalate)

Calvin University received a $163,803 Project Grant award dated July 1, 2025, from the National Science Foundation's Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070). The three-year award, concluding June 30, 2028, funds the ESCALATE (Engaging Scholars in Cybersecurity Analysis: A Laboratory for Teaching and Education) initiative, a collaborative research project designed to develop and deliver cybersecurity education and training resources integrated with cyberinfrastructure (CI) capabilities.

The primary deliverables include the establishment of the Cybersecurity Community Hub (C2HUB), a platform housing modular, open-source course materials for undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity education. Key products delivered through this award encompass software tools, real-world datasets, auto-graded assignments, and CI-enabled educational modules designed for execution on NSF-funded platforms such as the National Research Platform and EXPANSE. The project also provides educator workshops to support curriculum adoption and foster a national network of cybersecurity educators. These resources and community-building activities aim to establish a national model for integrating cyberinfrastructure into cybersecurity and STEM education while expanding the nation's cybersecurity research workforce across diverse institutional backgrounds.

Abstract

In today?s rapidly evolving information technology landscape, network security is a critical pillar of cybersecurity. Preparing the next generation of IT research professionals to secure digital infrastructure requires theoretical knowledge, but also demands hands-on experience with real-world threats and data. This project bridges this GAP through integration of advanced data science techniques and practical skills in cyberinfrastructure (CI) within the classroom. This project establishes the cybersecurity community hub (C2HUB)?a platform for developing, delivering, and disseminating CI-enabled cybersecurity education and training resources. The project incorporates modular, open-source course materials for both undergraduate and graduate levels, including software tools, real-world datasets, and auto-graded assignments in the C2HUB platform. These modules are designed for seamless execution on NSF-funded CI platforms such as the national research platform and expanse, making IT easier for educators to incorporate hands-on CI use into their curricula. To support adoption and community building, the project offers educator workshops to provide training, gather feedback, and cultivate a network of educators sharing resources and best practices. The course materials and community practices developed through this project can serve as a national model for integrating CI into cybersecurity and stem education. C2HUB promotes a data-driven approach to teaching and learning and expands the nation?s cybersecurity research workforce by empowering students from different institutional backgrounds to engage in cutting-edge data science and cybersecurity training. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.