National CyberWatch Center

ABOUT

Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, we are a consortium of higher education institutions, businesses, and government agencies focused on collaborative efforts to advance Information Security education and strengthen the national cybersecurity workforce

Our roles include: advocating for cybersecurity education programs; building cybersecurity education
and workforce development programs; collaborating with educational institutions, businesses, government entities,
and professional organizations; and coordinating collaborative cybersecurity education, assessment, and research programs.

WHO WE SERVE

Students

One-stop shop for quality educational and training resources, discounted certification exam vouchers, webcasts, internships, and access to employers looking to hire

Schools

The largest network of Information Security educators and institutions of higher education in the world

Individuals

Individual membership program with continued professional development, publishing opportunities, and more

Businesses

Corporate memberships that allow for the participation in National Curriculum Standards Panels, access to Cybersecurity Workforce Maturity Assessments, formative credentialing solutions, and a huge network of qualified talent

ROLES

As a leader in cybersecurity education and workforce development, the Cyber Ready Professional's Consortium roles include:

Advocator

Advocate for the role of community colleges and universities in cybersecurity education and workforce development

Builder

Build cybersecurity education and workforce development programs of impact

Collaborator

Collaborate with educational institutions, businesses, government entities, and professional organizations to strengthen cybersecurity education, workforce development, and research programs

Coordinator

Coordinate collaborative cybersecurity education, workforce development, and research programs

Promoter

Promote educational and workforce development models of impact

OUR TEAM

Dr. David H. Tobey

Executive Director
&
Principal Investigator

Gustavo Hinojosa, Jr.

Director,
National Cybersecurity Student Association

Leon DuPree

Director,
Membership
& Chapters

OUR HISTORY

What follows is a high-level snapshot of the Center’s mission, funding levels, leadership teams, and goals from its inception in 2005:

CyberWatch I (CW I) 2005-2009

Headquarters: Prince George’s Community College, Maryland
Name: CyberWATCH (Cybersecurity: Washington Area Technician and Consortium Headquarters)
Mission: Increase the quantity and quality of the Information Assurance workforce in the Washington D.C. and Mid-Atlantic region
Original Award Amount: National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program; $3 million; several NSF ATE supplemental grants
Goals: Curriculum Development; Faculty Development; Student Development; K12 Initiatives; and Dissemination and Outreach

Dr. Vera Zdravkovich
Principal Investigator (PI)
Prince George Community College

Co-PIs: Dr. David Hall (Montgomery College); Dr. Fred Klappenberger (Anne Arundel Community College); Dr. Margaret Leary (Northern Virginia Community College); and Casey W. O’Brien (Community College of Baltimore County)

CyberWatch II (CW II) 2009-2012

Headquarters: Prince George’s Community College, Maryland
Name: CyberWatch: Creating the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals
Mission: Increase the quantity and quality of the Information Assurance workforce
Original Award Amount: NSF ATE program; $2.7 million; several NSF ATE supplemental grants
Goals: same as CW I
Note: One small change in the CyberWatch mission also explains the change in name. In the first grant (CW I), the mission was “To increase the quantity and quality of the Information Assurance workforce in the Washington, D.C. and Mid-Atlantic region.” The original name of the Center was an acronym: CyberWatch stood for “Cybersecurity Washington Area Technical Consortium Headquarters.” When the CyberWatch network started expanding to states outside Washington, D.C., the “Washington Area” and “Mid-Atlantic” references were no longer appropriate. Hence, the CW II mission statement was shortened and the spelling of CyberWatch was changed

Bob Spear
Principal Investigator (PI)
Prince George Community College

Co-PIs: Carrie Leary (Anne Arundel Community College); Dr. Margaret Leary (Northern Virginia Community College); Dr. Davina Pruitt-Mentle (Educational Technology Policy, Research, and Outreach – ETPRO); and Casey W. O’Brien (Community College of Baltimore County)