Upcoming events

    • August 06, 2018
    • December 31, 2030
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    Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research: Fall 2018 Special Issue: 3CS Anniversary Special Issue – Five Years of Raising the Capability Maturity Bar

    The launch of the first issue, Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research -  3CS Anniversary Special Issue - Five Years of Raising the Capability Maturity Bar - coincides with the 5th Annual Community College Cyber Summit (3CS). Besides some path-breaking articles from our Innovations in Cybersecurity Education award-winners, most of the special issue is dedicated to listings of the capability-enhancing presentations that have occurred over the past five years at the 3CS.

    Table of Contents

    EXECUTIVE LETTER 

    RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

    Raising the BAR of Cybersecurity Capability Maturity

    PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES

    Meeting Industry Needs for Secure Software Development 

    Have My Smart Lightbulbs Been Weaponized?

    THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES 

    Competency is Not a Three Letter Word 

    3CS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY RESOURCE GUIDE Pathway Section: Fundamentals 

    Pathway Section: Specialty Areas

    RESOURCE GUIDE PRESENTER INDEX

    Click "Register" to request a free copy of the 3CS Anniversary Special Issue. Upon completion of the registration form a download link will be sent to your registered email address.


    • November 20, 2020
    • December 31, 2030
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    The Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research - NICE Framework Special Issue: Investigating Framework Adoption, Adaptation, or Extension - examines the usefulness, benefits, and challenges associated with the adoption, adaptation, or extension of the NICE Framework in cybersecurity practice, to improve learning, and advance the state of cybersecurity capability maturity.

    Table of Contents

    EXECUTIVE LETTER 

    PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES

    The CYBER security - Competency Health and Maturity Progression

    RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

    Exploring Non-Technical Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

    Exploring Cognitive Processes to Develop Cybersecurity Defender Proficiency

    TEACHING PERSPECTIVES 

    Wireless Security: Examining the next NICE Framework Iteration 

    RESEARCH NOTE

    Cybersecurity Intelligence: A Novel Information Security Threat Mitigation

    TEACHING NOTE

    Does Cybersecurity Education Focus on the Right Things?

    Click "Register" to request a free copy of the NICE Special Issue. Upon completion of the registration form a download link will be sent to your registered email address.


    • April 22, 2021
    • September 16, 2033
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    This NSF-funded research project explored the viability of cybersecurity apprenticeships for federal agency pipeline support. During the 18-month effort – which ended in December 2020 – a Working Group of 15 federal, academic, and practitioner experts developed a strong dialog and presence in the apprenticeship space. Aided by close ties to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Working Group on Apprenticeships, the project developed a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship model, and identified key ways to improve the adoption of apprenticeships.

    Primary Audience: Federal Cybersecurity human resources and hiring managers.

    Table of Contents

    1. Introduction to Apprenticeships
    2. What Do Current Apprenticeships Look Like?
    3. Current Apprenticeship Footprint
    4. Possible Barriers to Federal Adoption
    5. Available High-Level Models
    6. Engaging the Hiring Manager
    7. Aligning Academic and OJT Requirements
    8. The Value Proposition
    9. Seeding the Way: Pilot Proposals to Agencies
    10. Recommendations to NSF
    11. National CyberWatch Center Working Group Membership
    12. References
    • August 20, 2021
    • January 14, 2034
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    About the 2017 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education Publication

    The deadline for application submissions was March 15, 2017. Shortly after, a panel of cybersecurity educators and National CyberWatch partners reviewed these submissions, 44 in total (far exceeding previous year's submission totals), and selected 5 for recognition. This reference document was created listing all nominations and the 5 winners.



    • September 30, 2021
    • 9:00 AM
    • September 30, 2030
    • 11:59 PM
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    About the 2021 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education Publication

    With the forced transition to online learning across the education spectrum as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to focus on the following theme for this year’s program:


    How can we best contribute to the needs and transformations that might occur for remote/online instruction in the post-COVID-19 world?


    Given the narrow focus of this year’s theme, we are treating this year’s publication as a Special Issue, which combines the top two submissions (as ranked by a panel of judges) with the results of our National Cybersecurity Student Association COVID-19 Perceptions Survey. This year was like no other; so is this year’s Innovations program.

    • September 28, 2022
    • 9:00 AM
    • September 28, 2032
    • 11:59 PM
    • Online
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    One of the major strengths of the National CyberWatch Center is its ability to aggregate and disseminate the capacity and creative experimentation found within our academic and workforce communities.


    The 2022 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program (now in its 6th year), was built on the premise that our members are some of the best cybersecurity educational innovators, and that through our Center, they can share their innovations, accelerate their adoption, and receive proper recognition for their work. This publication is an example of this capacity and creativity in action.

    All National CyberWatch Center members received the online nomination form via various e-Blasts, the monthly e-Newsletter (NCC Communicator), social media campaigns, and dissemination/outreach via various partners. The deadline for submissions was May 10, 2022. Shortly after, a panel of cybersecurity educators and past Innovations winners reviewed the submissions and selected those for recognition in this publication.

    • October 01, 2022
    • 12:00 PM
    • September 30, 2025
    • 11:59 PM
    • Online
    Registration is closed

    National CyberWatch Center's

    Call for Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshop Proposals

    About

    Designed to develop capabilities that are essential to the effective performance of cybersecurity job roles, as well as helping to grow faculty and program capacity at 2/4-year schools. Proposals accepted on a rolling basis are evaluated in the order received.


    Compensation

    • Grant-supported advance stipend for workshop development
             - $2,500 per workshop upon acceptance of course learning materials
    • Facilitator pay for Workshop delivery  
             - $3,000 to 8,000 per full-day based on percentage of capacity sold
    • Royalties of Workshop content subscriptions after the first year
             - 10% of subscription fees for workshop content license renewals

      Differentiator

      Traditional workshops focus on exposure to new techniques, tools, and instructional materials (i.e., train-the-trainer) by conveying information about a topic. While valuable information is provided, workshop attendees don't usually have sufficient time to develop a deep understanding and to practice application of new knowledge necessary to develop skills. Assessments are often omitted or are limited to a summative test without a detailed review of errors or omissions. Workshop attendee are on their own to address any failed understanding or misapplications after the workshop ends. Consequently, traditional workshop attendees frequently fail to retain knowledge of workshop concepts and techniques or are unable to transfer the new learning to workplace/academic scenarios.

      By contrast, the Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) are designed to develop mastery in skillfully applying techniques, tactics, tools, protocols, or procedures through competency-based instructional designs. These workshops focus on developing deep understanding through continual, formative assessment of knowledge development designed to identify and eradicate misunderstanding and misconception. Furthermore, CSDW participants practice applying the newly-gained knowledge under varying conditions or scenarios to facilitate transfer to the workplace/academic setting. Finally, CSDW attendees receive a year's subscription to a self-paced instructional system to continue their development after the workshop ends. Consequently, CSDWs assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of students, faculty, practitioners, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles.

      CSDWs apply advances in:

      • Formative assessments, which are designed to detail the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the learner, as continually applied, and guide the next learning path
      • Adaptive learning systems, to ensure the achievement of mastery in understanding, applying, and adapting cybersecurity practices
      • Micro-credentialing, to recognize the level of capability maturity exhibited by the workshop participant as Proficient, Competent, or a Master of the new capability

      Workshop Formats
      Ranging from half-, one-, or two-day workshops focused on a single capability, to multi-week virtual offerings.

      CSDW Facilitator Deliverables:

      • Concept Matrix (glossary)
      • Open-sourced or developed instructional materials
      • Open-sourced or developed hands-on exercises (e.g., procedures to be executed)
      • Scenario-based exercises (e.g., the way in which you administer a system depends on the operating system)

      Proposed Workshop Domains

      Like a textbook, a traditional workshop is divided into some number of topics/domains, with domains addressing several defined concepts. In contrast, a CSDW is organized by the responsibilities to be competently performed in the workplace, which is decomposed into the tasks to be executed and the concepts and techniques required to skillfully perform a task.


      Proposals for Workshop domains might include, but are not limited to the following:

      • Analyze network traffic
      • Limit information system access to authorized users and processes
      • Authenticate (or verify) the identities of those users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational information systems
      • Monitor, control, and protect organizational communications (i.e., information transmitted or received by organizational information systems) at the external boundaries and key internal boundaries of the information systems
      • Update malicious code protection mechanisms when new releases are available

      Example CSDW

      Hands-On Cryptography


      • October 21, 2022
      • 9:00 AM
      • September 01, 2025
      • 12:00 AM
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      National Cybersecurity Student Association

      Are you a student or faculty member who is interested in volunteering for our advisory board? The time commitment is a minimum of 1-hr per month. If interested, complete the application to start the process and someone will reach out to you. 

      • October 31, 2022
      • 9:00 AM
      • September 01, 2025
      • 12:00 AM
      • Online
      • 5625
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      Skills to Succeed Program

      New this year is the Skills to Succeed Coaching Program. In the Skills to Succeed Coaching program, each participant will receive 24/7 access to online career readiness and cybersecurity capability instructional libraries. Each participant is assigned a success coach who will be continually informed through system reports about their progress towards mastery. The system reports and the coach will determine readiness to be assigned work responsibilities based on the participant’s level of competency or mastery of tasks and performance scenarios. Participants will be matched with open jobs and be able to schedule interviews with employers whose jobs would be a good match for each participant.

      The program is free and provides interactive training, but you must be a student and have a paid membership with us to participate in this program. Fill out this form to receive updates.

      Updates and announcements are posted periodically. Click the "Register" button on the left if you are either faculty or a student and would like to receive notifications about this program.


      • January 01, 2023
      • September 01, 2026
      • online
      • 99986
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Recruitment Sign-up Form

      • January 01, 2023
      • September 30, 2025
      Register

      Student Chapter invoicing for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. If you have any questions, contact us. 

      You can use your credit card or mail a check to; 

      National CyberWatch Center
      Prince George Community College Foundation
      Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), Room 129C
      301 LARGO ROAD
      LARGO, MD 20774


      Gus Hinojosa Jr. 
      Director, National Cybersecurity Student Association
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • May 24, 2023
      • May 25, 2033
      • Online
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      Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice & Research

      Diversifying the Cybersecurity Workforce Special Issue

      This special issue, published in April 2023, includes a collection of dialogues, which capture a discussion among stakeholders about dilemmas or previously insurmountable challenges related to diversifying the cybersecurity workforce, cybersecurity skill assessment, development, recruitment, or evaluation.

      CSJ Dialogues may be edited recordings of a focus group session, interviews with subject matter experts, or conversations between practitioners, scholars, or educators exploring the goals, success factors (objectives), and effective practices for successful mitigation or resolution of problems or taking full advantage of opportunities facing the cybersecurity community.

      Click the "Register" button (upper-left) to receive the link to download this  publication.

      • May 31, 2023
      • May 31, 2033
      • Online
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      2022 National CyberWatch Center's Annual Report

      This report highlights the tremendous impact that the CyberWatch Center has on increasing the readiness of workers, students, instructors, and researchers to meet the ever-growing threat to our nation’s security and prosperity. The CyberWatch Center’s many accomplishments would not be possible without the tremendous support and leadership provided by Dr. Corby Hovis, the ATE program director at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Falecia D. Williams, the president of Prince George’s Community College, our world-class program management team, and the hundreds of volunteers and dozens of alliance partners who guide and contribute their time, talent, and financial support of our programs.

      • June 14, 2023
      • February 12, 2025
      • online
      • 99960
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Inquiry Checklist


      National Cybersecurity Student Association
      chapters@cyberstudents.org 

      • August 01, 2023
      • September 30, 2030
      • Online
      Register

      Thank you for inquiring about the National Cybersecurity Student Association, student chapters. Please fill out the form and we will get back to you soon. Go to https://www.cyberstudents.org/student-chapter-information/ to learn more about our student chapters. 


      National Cybersecurity Student Association
      Chapter Development Team
      chapters@cyberstudents.org 

      • September 07, 2023
      • May 08, 2025
      • online
      • 99996
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Event Hosting Guide
      • September 14, 2023
      • 12:00 PM
      • September 15, 2033
      • Online
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      State of and Trends in Cybersecurity Capability Maturity
      Call for Working Papers

      These preliminary research papers explore various aspects of the state of and trends in cybersecurity capability; that is, the level of progressive improvement to perform, or the readiness to perform, critical activities or functions.

      Want to disseminate progress made in grant-funded work, presentations of research findings at conferences, or other systematic investigations? If so, consider publishing working papers of your own.

      Click the Register button in the middle-left of this window to get started.

      • September 30, 2023
      • May 08, 2025
      • online
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Overview PowerPoint
      • December 13, 2023
      • September 30, 2025
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      SUBMIT A BLOG POST

      Student and chapter members. Interested in free marketing and branding? Submit your blog today and we will post it on our website, include it in our marketing email and and place it in the National CyberWatch bi-monthly newsletter, the Communicator. 

      The minimum word count is 500 words and the maximum word count is 1200. Please list all references cited to avoid plagiarism. If you have any further questions, please email info@cyberstudents.org.

      • January 01, 2024
      • December 29, 2025
      • Eastern Time
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      CyberWatch Digital Press Call for Peer Reviewers!

      The Cybersecurity Skills Journal (CSJ) and the associated Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia (3CS) are seeking members of the broader cybersecurity stakeholder community--including graduate students, educators, researchers, tech innovators, and practitioners from government and industry--to join our growing community of peer reviewers and mentors for proposers of conference sessions and journal manuscripts. Peer reviewers are essential to publishing research that integrates and expands the methods, processes, and evidence of effective practices for skillful performance of cybersecurity job functions and roles. 

      For the 2024-25 academic year, after completing at least two reviews, Peer Reviewers are eligible to apply for a travel stipend up to $650 to attend regional 3CS events and up to $2,100 to attend the National 3CS based on distance from the workshop venue. All reviewers who complete at least one review are recognized as a Fellow of the Cyber Ready G-Force -- the generating force raising cybersecurity capabilities and career readiness. Cyber Ready G-Force Fellows are eligible for free registration to the 3CS events for which they reviewed submissions.

      The CSJ Overview Briefing describes the types of manuscripts published in the Cybersecurity Skills Journal and our iterative manuscript development process. The 3CS Overview is especially valuable for students, faculty, or professionals who do have substantial experience presenting at conferences or publishing articles.  

      We periodically conduct a one-hour workshop to help prospective peer reviewers understand our mission and the details of the iterative peer review process before making a commitment to become a peer reviewer. If you are interested in learning more or becoming a peer reviewer, please click the Register button. Your confirmation email will provide a link to a page where you can select the date to attend a Peer Reviewer Workshop.

      • March 30, 2024
      • September 01, 2025
      • Online
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      CYBER ARCADE INTEREST

      Student and chapter members. Do you like puzzles and games? Fill out this form to get notified when we host our Cyber Arcade games. If you have a student chapter, we can host a few games for your chapter members and/or go head to head with other student chapters. For more information, contact us at info@cyberstudents.org 

      • April 03, 2024
      • December 03, 2025
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Flyer
      • April 03, 2024
      • December 03, 2025
      • online
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Membership Flyer
      • June 04, 2024
      • February 03, 2026
      • online
      • 100000
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association PGCC student flyer with student membership promo code. 
      • June 25, 2024
      • September 30, 2025
      Register

       Raise the BAR Mastery Badge Program: A Formative Credentialing of Cybersecurity Capability Maturity

      The BAR acronym stands for Behaviorally Anchored Rating. Much evidence shows that when BAR scales, based on the tasks that must be performed to excel in a career position, are used to evaluate capability maturity, the results are less biased and more accurate predictors of future job performance. The previous Raise the BAR assessments have been used by companies, such as IBM, to identify the most qualified candidates for open positions. This year’s program will also include the Core Concept Readiness Inventories which assess your stock of knowledge in four fundamental domains of information security:

      1) C-I-A Triad

      2) Controls, Threats & Attacks

      3) Cryptography

      4) Security Testing, Engineering, and Operations

      The Information Security Fundamentals Readiness Assessment will provide a proficiency profile and opportunity to earn badges in recognition for demonstration of conceptual understanding of the prerequisite knowledge for a career in information security and readiness to fully benefit from an information security fundamentals course. The Information Security Fundamentals Readiness Assessment is therefore ideal for a student who is in the beginning or middle of their educational program but can be of value to any student who wishes to demonstrate to prospective employers that they possess the knowledge required to apply information security concepts in information technology and networking job roles that are the feeders into cybersecurity specialist jobs. The complete Information Security Readiness Assessment takes about 30 minutes to complete.

      The Core Concept Readiness Inventories will provide a proficiency profile and opportunity to earn badges in recognition for demonstration of conceptual understanding of the core concepts of information security within the four domains listed above. These assessments are most appropriate for students who have completed a course in information security fundamentals. These concepts must be mastered to meet the requirements for jobs in Systems Engineering or an entry-level cybersecurity job as a Cybersecurity Technician or Specialist. Each of the four Core Concept Readiness Assessments will require about 15-30 minutes to fully complete.

      Question(s): Email us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • June 26, 2024
      • 9:00 AM
      • February 10, 2025
      • 11:59 PM
      • Online
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      Call for Curriculum Standards Panel Members

      Are you interested in serving the cybersecurity education community? Consider becoming a subject-matter expert serving on a Curriculum Standards Panel (CSP). 

      Before registering, if you have not already done so previously, please obtain (and save for future use) your anonymized Participant ID and complete the qualifications surveys at:

      REGISTER HERE

      CSP History and Role

      In 2017, the Curriculum Standards Course Panel (CSCP) for Information Security Fundamentals was established. Funded initially by a grant from the National Security Agency (NSA), ISF CSCP applied psychometrically-valid, Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML) instructional design techniques to develop a domain taxonomy, assessment items, instructional content, and the sequencing plan for that content necessary to overcome constraints to developing mastery of the fundamentals of Information Security. The design models guide standardization of cybersecurity curricula.

      During the 2024-25 academic year, the CSCP will be working with a team developing a new accreditation model to assert success in student mastery in understanding and competent application of security concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures. Members of the CSCP will follow the innovative CBML curricula design method to develop, prototype, and disseminate adaptive, accelerated learning modules that can substantially improve cybersecurity workforce capability maturity. These learning modules can be mixed and matched based on learner readiness, institutional goals, and career requirements.

      The role of the Curriculum Standards Panels is to continually verify, validate, and enhance assessments, instructional materials, hands-on tutorials, and interactive challengesPanelists may contribute to one or more Topic Area Working Groups (TAWGs) based on their expertise in teaching, designing, or having relevant work experience in the focal topic area. Panelists may also apply to become a TAWG chair or vice-chair. Panel chairs and vice-chairs become members of the editorial board of the Open Educational Resource (OER) course materials library.

      Panel Member Commitment and Stipend

      Periodically, the Curriculum Standards Program receives support from federal agencies or corporate sponsors to develop instructional materials. These funds are used to provide stipends to panel members that have been regular contributors to the public resource library of evaluated instructional materials and can increase their time commitment to develop new instructional materials.

      The 2024-25 CSP members are expected to contribute three to four hours per month as expert reviewers and evaluators of existing instructional materials. The work of the panel will be divided into four phases, each phase lasting approximately two months. Therefore, each CSP member must agree to commit a minimum of 24 hours during the 2024-25 academic year. Thanks to our sponsors, each CSP member will receive a stipend of $2,000 divided into four $500 stipends issued upon completion of each development phase.

      All panelists who complete all four development phases will be listed in the Creative Commons License documentation for the coursePanelists participating in at least three-quarters of all panel activities will receive a certificate and registered achievement badge. The CSP badge may be applied towards Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements.

      Join the Panel

      To apply to become a member of the Curriculum Standards Panel (or confirm if previously completed) please click the link below, or any other registration button or link on this page.

      REGISTER HERE

      Please remember before registering, if you have not already done so previously, obtain (and save for future use) your anonymized Participant ID and complete the qualifications surveys at:

      • June 28, 2024
      • February 27, 2026
      • online
      • 99952
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Membership Programs Flyer
      • July 12, 2024
      • September 11, 2031
      • Online
      Register

      Beginning in Fall 2024, National CyberWatch Center is launching a Premium Membership for faculty with institutional chapters. Premium members receive 50% off coupons for program fees and are eligible to receive travel stipends to CyberWatch events. Please complete the inquiry form to indicate your interest in applying for premium individual or chapter membership.

      One of our membership coordinators will be in touch soon!

      National CyberWatch Center
      Chapter Development Team
      chapters@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • July 29, 2024
      • September 29, 2025
      • Online
      Register
      After filling out the form, you will be contacted by our marketing department.

      Interested in Some Free Marketing & Branding? 

      We are looking to promote students in the National CyberWatch Center's Communicator, websites, emails, and our social media platforms. Do you have a story to share, academic work or just want to provide a shout out (text or video) on how the student association has helped you?

      "The Student Association has a ton of resources in their member portal to help me stay ahead of the curve."

            - Ysael Caban - Hillsborough Community College. A.S. Digital Forensics.                                 Tampa, FL. 

        
      • July 29, 2024
      • July 28, 2025
      Register
      • July 30, 2024
      • July 29, 2025
      Register

      Free & Available Only for: NCSA Premium Members, NCSA Participating Members*, CyberWatch Premium Members, CyberWatch Institutional Members, and CyberWatch Participating Members*

      You will receive a Webcast link of the recording upon completing the form via email.

       

      Game On: Developing Cybersecurity informed Science focused eSports for Elementary Education Ecosystems

      Recorded on: July 30, 2024

      Presented by: Terrance R. Campbell, MAEd, MSISM, A+, Net+, Sec+ CySA+

      Terrance is a published Health Informatics and Information Systems Security Practitioner-Scholar that has: (a) 40+ years of senior-level IT management experience across several business sectors and 5 countries; and (b) two master’s degrees (information systems management and adult & distance education). During this time, Terrance has also obtained 25+ years of classroom and administration experience assisting 3rd grade – graduate student ecosystems build the capacity to using serious games (board, card and digital games) as tools for IT and Cybersecurity career readiness. Currently, Terrance is an Asst. Computer Science and IT professor that is pursuing an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership focusing on Cybersecurity Co-Curricular Development. He also serves as a(n): (a) the Games, Simulations and Competitions Symposia Co-Chair and Researcher for the National CyberWatch Center; (b) the senior co-chair of the NIST/NICE Cybersecurity K – 12 Education Community of Interest – December 2024; (c) Science Olympiad Board Member for the states of IN and TN; and (d) member of the Education Law Association Community Engagement Committee Leadership Team.

      DescriptionThe NCSA hosted a webcast on July 30th about using the National Cyber League Lab Kit and Microsoft’s Excel eSport 2023 Competition as the framework, designing a new cybersecurity informed science-focused eSports competition that can be used as a co-curricular for 3rd – 5th graders.

      Question(s): Email us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org


      *Participating Members may opt-out of future notifications at any time by accessing their account to change their preferences.

      • August 18, 2024
      • September 30, 2025
      Register

      Thank you for your interesting in volunteering for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. Please fill out the form and somebody will get back to you. 

      • September 18, 2024
      • November 19, 2025
      • Online
      Register

      Teams from institutions conferring associate degrees are eligible to qualify for the national championship in May. Qualifiers receive travel stipends for a faculty coach and five team members to attend the championship. There is no limit on the number of teams from any school, college, or university. Anyone, regardless of age or institute, may participate as an observer to hone skills in cyber defense.


      Download the 2CDC flyer HERE. 

      Questions: 2cdc@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • September 18, 2024
      • May 20, 2026
      • online
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      Download the 2CDC Flyer
      • September 18, 2024
      • September 30, 2026
      • Online
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      Sign-up for Student Chapter Activities

      Do you have a National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter? Are you interested in participating in a 1-hr activity for your chapter? If so, please fill out the application and someone will get back to you. The activities are listed in the application. Note: These activities are only available for Unites States chapters only at this time. 

      National Cybersecurity Student Association
      info@cyberstudents.org 

      • September 18, 2024
      • July 07, 2026
      Register

      Share Your Academic Work & Research Through Our Network

      Are you a student or faculty member who would like FREE marketing and branding? Look no further! Share you academic work with us through our rapidly growing worldwide audience. We can promote it via emails, our website, and/or social media platforms.! Make a name for yourself and stand out from the crowd today! If you have any further questions, please email info@cyberstudents.org.
      • November 01, 2024
      • August 01, 2027
      Register

      Student Chapter invoicing for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. If you have any questions, contact us. 

      You can use your credit card or mail a check to; 

      National CyberWatch Center
      Prince George Community College Foundation
      Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), Room 129C
      301 LARGO ROAD
      LARGO, MD 20774


      Gus Hinojosa Jr. 
      Director, National Cybersecurity Student Association
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • November 01, 2024
      • 9:00 AM
      • September 30, 2025
      • 5:00 PM
      Register

      Get a Personal, Professional Career Coach

      Get access to Scholarships for Certification Prep or Exams

      Get Matched with Employers Seeking Your Capabilities

      Get Experience in Becoming a Cyber Consultant


      Register Here for the 


      CYBER READY CLINIC

      Professional Skills to Succeed Program


      The National CyberWatch Center has partnered with Accenture, Microsoft, and ISACA to bring the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Coaching Program to students.


      If you are a faculty member at a college or university who would like to have access for yourself to resources to assist you in preparing for certification or starting a cyber consulting practice, please contact dtobey@nationalcyberwatch.org.

      Accenture's Skills to Succeed (S2S) Academy is a free online employability training program. Created specifically to meet the needs of jobseekers, the Skills to Succeed Academy offers bite size, interactive online training modules to prepare Learners for the entire journey of choosing the right career, finding a job and succeeding in the workplace. Click the "Register" button on the left or the link above to receive an email with the first set of Professional Skills to Succeed resources from Accenture to ensure you are Career Ready.

      The training is interactive, features relatable characters and focuses on teaching people how to do things for themselves, building skills and confidence, and empowering them to take ownership for their career development and job search. Innovative simulations provide a safe environment where jobseekers can practice for real life situations, such as a job interview, instantly seeing the consequences of their decisions.

      Microsoft's Cybersecurity Certification Scholarship program is designed to  empower underserved communities in the US Markets by awarding over 5100 Microsoft Cybersecurity certification scholarships.  This comprehensive initiative, running through December 2025, focuses on providing structured skills development, essential expertise, and employability readiness coaching, preparing recipients for roles like Cybersecurity Analysts, Operations, and Architects. Collectively, the scholarships can provide up to $7,000 in financial and capability development resources. 

      The demand for cybersecurity skills is growing rapidly as emerging tech introduces new security, compliance, and identity challenges. ISC2’s most recent study estimates 1 out of every 20 open jobs in America today is a job that requires cybersecurity skills. And every projection shows that the number of these jobs will grow even more in the years ahead.

      The National CyberWatch Center's International Coaching Federation certified coach's, will guide you along your path to success. Watch the video HERE to learn more about the program. S2S participating students will have the unique opportunity to experience having a personal coach, just like many corporate CEOs that you hear about in the news. Want something life-changing? This is it! 

      Interested but want to know more before applying? Click HERE to receive program updates. 


      NOTE: Students MUST be a member of the National Cybersecurity Student Association and be planning to attend a Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Summit (3CS) Talent Fair at one of the 3CS venues. Click here for more information about 3CS.

      • January 01, 2025
      • 12:00 PM
      • December 31, 2025
      • 11:59 PM
      • Various locations
      Register


      Call For Proposals

      The National CyberWatch Center is seeking 2025 Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Summit (3CS) proposals. Each 3CS begins with an invitation-only event for session organizers. You may submit a proposal for a region that is not listed below, and your proposal will be considered an early-bird submission that is eligible for stipends and registration discounts.

      Upcoming Events

      • Mid-Atlantic 3CS: March 21-22, 2025
      • Northeast 3CS:  April 25-26, 2025
      • Southeast 3CS: May 7-8, 2025
      • National 3CS: June 2025

      Proposers of sessions for upcoming regional or national 3CS are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of their session idea. The lead author of an accepted session proposal will receive up to $2,900 in a travel stipend based on the distance between the home address and the 3CS venue location. To be eligible for a stipend, the stipend recipient must register in advance of the conference and participate in the 3CS event activities on Friday and Saturday.

      The session leader for accepted proposals will be invited to attend a 3CS Session Proposal Development Workshop. 3CS sessions explore or document innovative ideas, evidence-based practices, and demonstration of techniques and technologies for raising the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce. Session leaders receive guidance from experienced session presenters and facilitators during a one-day 3CS Session Proposal Development Workshop.

      Session Types

      Dialogues (Focus Groups): A Dialogue is an exchange of ideas between experts and stakeholders, facilitated by the session moderator, highlighting different points of view, experiences, and expertise on a problem or area related to cybersecurity practices, including designing, developing, evaluating, learning, teaching, or performing cybersecurity roles and functions. The goal of a Dialogue is to discover common themes and ideas for a future systematic study that will provide evidence related to the opinions expressed by a contributor to the Dialogue. These proposals should discuss specific challenges and persistent problems related to cybersecurity education and issues of raising the capability maturity in the cybersecurity workforce. The proposal for a Dialogue session must include a list of questions the moderator will pose to the attendees.

      Evidence-Based Practices: Refers to methods or interventions that data shows to be effective or ineffective in achieving a specific outcome. The goal is to improve outcomes by using interventions that have been proven to be effective through rigorous research and avoid those that evidence suggests are ineffective, rather than relying on intuition or tradition. The Evidence-Based Practice Session proposal should list which of the types of evidence will be presented.

      Demonstrations: Technical demonstrations are events or activities where a product, technology, technique, or system is demonstrated to the Symposia attendees. These demonstrations are usually used to showcase the capabilities and features of the technology or technique, and to provide a hands-on experience for the audience.

      REGISTER NOW

      • January 08, 2025
      • September 01, 2027
      Register

      The purpose of this form is to provide a student chapter semester update for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. If you have any questions, contact Gus Hinojosa Jr. at ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org.  

      • January 14, 2025
      • September 01, 2027
      • Online
      Register

      The National Cybersecurity Student Association is inviting presentation proposals for their monthly webcast series. Whether you are a student, faculty member, or professional, we encourage you to submit a proposal related to career development or cybersecurity topics. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@cyberstudents.org.

      • Up to a 1-hr presentation. 
      • Must submit your presentation proposal to be approved. 
      • Presentation must be cybersecurity or career building related. 
      • January 20, 2025
      • February 03, 2025
      • Online via Zoom
      Register

      Welcome Curriculum Standards Panel Members!

      On behalf of the National CyberWatch Center, I want to thank you for volunteering for what is an ongoing and critical effort to identify the learning objectives, concepts, procedures, situational judgments, and the intellectual abilities required to develop capability maturity in cybersecurity foundational principles, techniques, tactics, and protocols.

      After you have registered for this event, you will receive a confirmation email that will contain a link to download the "New Member Welcome Packet” and for you to provide your meeting availability. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out at any time.

      Again, thanks for sharing your expertise as we advance cybersecurity education and training, while strengthening the national information security workforce.

      Thanks for helping us keep our community strong!

      Best,

      David H. Tobey, Ph.D.
      Executive Director & Principal Investigator
      National CyberWatch Center
      dtobey@nationalcyberwatch.org

      Gus Hinojosa Jr., MSc, MBA 
      Project Manager
      National CyberWatch Center
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org 

      • January 24, 2025
      • October 24, 2027
      Register

      Student Chapter invoicing for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. If you have any questions, contact us. 

      You can use your credit card or mail a check to; 

      National CyberWatch Center
      Prince George Community College Foundation
      Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), Room 129C
      301 LARGO ROAD
      LARGO, MD 20774


      Gus Hinojosa Jr. 
      Director, National Cybersecurity Student Association
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • January 28, 2025
      • February 13, 2025
      • Zoom
      Register

      February 12th, 2025 at 8:30pm EST

      Thank you for your interest in the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Coaching Program Informational Session. After you have registered, you will be sent an email with the webcast details. If you have questions, contact Gus Hinojosa Jr. at ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org. 

      • January 28, 2025
      • February 21, 2025
      • Zoom
      Register

      February 20th, 2025 at 8:30pm EST

      Thank you for your interest in the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Coaching Program Informational Session. After you have registered, you will be sent an email with the webcast details. If you have questions, contact Gus Hinojosa Jr. at ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org. 

      • February 21, 2025
      • 12:00 PM
      • August 01, 2025
      • 11:59 PM
      • Online
      Register

      Call for Participants

      Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML)

      Instructional Design Workshop Series

      REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2025 COHORT

      About

      Participants will learn how to apply advances in educational neuroscience and learning science to create personalized instruction systems that evidence shows are the key to raising student readiness to learn new concepts and procedures, become certified, or engage in work-based learning programs (e.g., internships, apprenticeships, or entry-level jobs).


      Compensation

      • Stipends are available with education institution approval

        What makes these workshops different from others

        Traditional workshops focus on exposure to new techniques, tools, and instructional materials (i.e., train-the-trainer) by conveying information about a topic. While valuable information is provided, workshop attendees don't usually have sufficient time to develop a deep understanding and to practice application of new knowledge necessary to develop skills. Assessments are often omitted or are limited to a summative test without a detailed review of errors or omissions. Workshop attendee are on their own to address any failed understanding or misapplications after the workshop ends. Consequently, traditional workshop attendees frequently fail to retain knowledge of workshop concepts and techniques or are unable to transfer the new learning to workplace/academic scenarios.

        By contrast, the CBML Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) are designed to develop mastery in skillfully applying techniques, tactics, tools, protocols, or procedures  through competency-based instructional designs. These workshops focus on developing deep understanding through continual, formative assessment of knowledge development designed to identify and eradicate misunderstanding and misconception. Furthermore, CSDW participants practice applying the newly-gained knowledge under varying conditions or scenarios to facilitate transfer to the workplace/academic setting. 

        CSDWs apply advances in:

        • Formative assessments, which are designed to detail the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the learner, as continually applied, and guide the next learning path
        • Adaptive learning systems, to ensure the achievement of mastery in understanding, applying, and adapting CBML instructional design practices
        • Micro-credentialing, to recognize the level of capability maturity exhibited by the workshop participant as Proficient, Competent, or a Master of each new capability

        CSDW Deliverables:

        • Concept Matrix (glossary)
        • Open-sourced or developed instructional materials
        • Open-sourced or developed hands-on exercises (e.g., procedures to be executed)
        • Scenario-based exercises 

        Transform your classroom or virtual course with the high-impact practice of personalized, adaptive instruction

        Click the "Register" button to the left or the link above to be added to the list of interested participants.

        • March 21, 2025
        • 8:00 AM
        • March 22, 2025
        • 6:00 PM
        • College Park, Maryland
        Register



        2025 Mid-Atlantic Regional 3CS
        (MA-3CS)

        Five symposia provide the opportunity to learn, experience, and discuss the latest tools, techniques, and technologies for Teaching, Practicing, Demonstrating, and Showcasing Cybersecurity Capabilities.

        Where:


        University of Maryland - College Park
        2112 Parren Mitchell Art-Sociology Building (Bldg 146)
        3834 Campus Dr, College Park, MD 20742


        Nearby hotels:


        When: March 21-22, 2025

        REGISTER NOW


        Why Symposia?

        3CS includes a symposium in each of the five areas below.

        • Community College Cyber Summit: The granddaddy and foundation of the 3CS program that has welcomed those interested in experiential cybersecurity education for over a decade! Presentation sessions in classrooms with support for hybrid sessions about practice improvements for cybersecurity education Included with General Admission.
        • Cybersecurity Science and Practice Symposium: Poster and classroom presentation sessions with support for hybrid attendance about evidence-based professional and instructional cybersecurity practices -- the human factors of cybersecurity. Included with General Admission.
        • Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium: Cybersecurity skill development workshops on specialized topics not typically taught in higher education courses but required to develop the skills needed to advance in the cybersecurity profession. Additional cost to attend.
        • Cyber Technology and Careers Symposium: Open spaces supporting an exhibit hall with demonstration sessions and a career fair - combining a job fair and a talent fair.  Included with General Admission, but can be purchased separately.
        • Cyber Games, Simulations, and Competition Symposium: Individual and team-based interactive challenges and opportunities for hands-on experience with or observation of demonstrations of skills in the Cyber Ready Arcade, including the new Community College Collegiate Defense Competition (3CDC) Included with General Admission.

        What Else to Expect at SW-3CS:

        • Awards: Mid-Atlantic NCSA Chapter-of-the-Year, Great Lakes CyberWatch Instructor-of-the-Year, Best Dialogue, Best Demonstration, Best Evidence-Based Practice, Best Skills Development Workshop, and Cyber Arcade Individual and Overall Champions
        • Cyber Ready Arcade: Serious games intended to accurately assess and rank (e.g., chess rating) accomplishment of individual or one-on-one challenges necessary to develop cyber skills
        • Cyber Ready Gym: Practice performing specific tasks to develop your readiness to perform critical cybersecurity tasks
        • Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of practitioners, faculty, students, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. Register for general admission to the conference to receive a discount code to attend a CSDW. 
        • Demonstrations: Technology, cybersecurity practice, and teaching tools and techniques
        • Career Fairs: Employer Fair and Talent Fair - a reverse job fair where job-seekers have a booth showcasing their capabilities. *What is a Talent FairIf registered by the Early-Bird deadline, every Talent Fair registrant will receive a personalized capability profile and access to preparatory training and coaching at no additional cost
        • Research: Focus groups and evidence-based practice presentations
        • Sponsorship opportunities > Contact info@nationalcyberwatch.org to discuss multiple event or program sponsorship discounts
        • ...and much more!!

        Who Should Attend?

        • Employers and Hiring Managers who need to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a skilled cybersecurity workforce
        • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
        • Students looking to jump start their careers
        • Managers of workforce development programs
        • Organizers of community economic development initiatives
        • Developers of innovative products and services that enable developing a skilled workforce
        • Policymakers from local, state, federal, and international government agencies

        REGISTER NOW

        GENERAL AGENDA 

        Friday Sessions: Daily Program Guide Coming Soon 

        • 3:00 pm Registration Desk Opens
        • 4:30 pm Opening Reception, Keynote Speakers, and the Cyber Arcade

        Saturday Sessions: Daily Program Guide Coming Soon

        • 8:30 am Registration Desk Opens
        • 9:30 am - 11:30 am Morning Sessions
          1. Demonstration Sessions 
          2. Regional Qualifier for the 2-Year College Cyber Defense Competition
        • 11:30-12:45 pm Lunch Break and Group Meetings
          1. National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapters
          2. Regional Qualifier for 2-Year College Cyber Defense Competition
        • 1:00 pm - 3:45 pm Afternoon Sessions
          1. Dialogue Sessions
          2. Evidence-Based Practice Sessions
        • 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Closing Plenary and Awards Ceremony
        •  

        Pricing

        Discounts:

        • Early-Bird (closes 30 days before the event)
        • Pre-Registration (closes 10 days before the event)
        • Student Association Chapter and Premium Member Discounts 
        • National CyberWatch Center Academic Chapter and Premium Member Discounts
        • Late Registration Fees (after the event starts)
        Retail Prices:

        All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

        Stipends Available:
        • National CyberWatch Premium Membership
        • National Cybersecurity Student Association Annual Membership
        • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
        • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)
        • NOTE: STIPEND ELIGIBILITY REQUIRES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCE SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, AS EVIDENCED BY COMPLETION OF SESSION EVALUATIONS.

        Feel free to reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
        • April 11, 2025
        • April 12, 2025
        • Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA
        Register


        • April 25, 2025
        • 8:00 AM
        • April 26, 2025
        • 6:00 PM
        • Bethlehem, PA
        Register



        2025 Northeast Regional 3CS
        (NE-3CS)

        Five symposia provide the opportunity to learn, experience, and discuss the latest tools, techniques, and technologies for Teaching, Practicing, Demonstrating, and Showcasing Cybersecurity Capabilities.

        Where:


        Lehigh University
        29 Trembley Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015


        Northampton Community College
        3835 Green Pond Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020


        Nearby hotels:


        When: April 25-26, 2025

        REGISTER NOW


        Why Symposia?

        3CS includes a symposium in each of the five areas below.

        • Community College Cyber Summit: The granddaddy and foundation of the 3CS program that has welcomed those interested in experiential cybersecurity education for over a decade! Presentation sessions in classrooms with support for hybrid sessions about practice improvements for cybersecurity education Included with General Admission.
        • Cybersecurity Science and Practice Symposium: Poster and classroom presentation sessions with support for hybrid attendance about evidence-based professional and instructional cybersecurity practices -- the human factors of cybersecurity. Included with General Admission.
        • Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium: Cybersecurity skill development workshops on specialized topics not typically taught in higher education courses but required to develop the skills needed to advance in the cybersecurity profession. Additional cost to attend.
        • Cyber Technology and Careers Symposium: Open spaces supporting an exhibit hall with demonstration sessions and a career fair - combining a job fair and a talent fair.  Included with General Admission, but can be purchased separately.
        • Cyber Games, Simulations, and Competition Symposium: Individual and team-based interactive challenges and opportunities for hands-on experience with or observation of demonstrations of skills in the Cyber Ready Arcade, including the new Community College Collegiate Defense Competition (3CDC) Included with General Admission.

        What Else to Expect at SW-3CS:

        • Awards: NCSA Chapter-of-the-Year, CyberWatch Instructor-of-the-Year, Best Dialogue, Best Demonstration, Best Evidence-Based Practice, Best Skills Development Workshop, and Cyber Arcade Individual and Overall Champions
        • Cyber Ready Arcade: Serious games intended to accurately assess and rank (e.g., chess rating) accomplishment of individual or one-on-one challenges necessary to develop cyber skills
        • Cyber Ready Gym: Practice performing specific tasks to develop your readiness to perform critical cybersecurity tasks
        • Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of practitioners, faculty, students, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. Register for general admission to the conference to receive a discount code to attend a CSDW. 
        • Demonstrations: Technology, cybersecurity practice, and teaching tools and techniques
        • Career Fairs: Employer Fair and Talent Fair - a reverse job fair where job-seekers have a booth showcasing their capabilities. *What is a Talent FairIf registered by the Early-Bird deadline, every Talent Fair registrant will receive a personalized capability profile and access to preparatory training and coaching at no additional cost
        • Research: Focus groups and evidence-based practice presentations
        • Sponsorship opportunities > Contact info@nationalcyberwatch.org to discuss multiple event or program sponsorship discounts
        • ...and much more!!

        Who Should Attend?

        • Employers and Hiring Managers who need to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a skilled cybersecurity workforce
        • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
        • Students looking to jump start their careers
        • Managers of workforce development programs
        • Organizers of community economic development initiatives
        • Developers of innovative products and services that enable developing a skilled workforce
        • Policymakers from local, state, federal, and international government agencies

        REGISTER NOW

        GENERAL AGENDA 

        Friday Sessions: Daily Program Guide Coming Soon 

        • 3:00 pm Registration Desk Opens
        • 4:30 pm Opening Reception, Keynote Speakers, and the Cyber Arcade

        Saturday Sessions: Daily Program Guide Coming Soon

        • 8:30 am Registration Desk Opens
        • 9:30 am - 11:30 am Morning Sessions
          1. Demonstration Sessions 
          2. Regional Qualifier for the 2-Year College Cyber Defense Competition
        • 11:30-12:45 pm Lunch Break and Group Meetings
          1. National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapters
          2. Regional Qualifier for 2-Year College Cyber Defense Competition
        • 1:00 pm - 3:45 pm Afternoon Sessions
          1. Dialogue Sessions
          2. Evidence-Based Practice Sessions
        • 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Closing Plenary and Awards Ceremony
        •  

        Pricing

        Discounts for:

        • Early-Bird (closes 30 days before the event)
        • Pre-Registration (closes 10 days before the event)
        • Student Association Chapter and Premium Member Discounts 
        • National CyberWatch Center Academic Chapter and Premium Member Discounts
        • Late Registration (after the event starts): +50%
        Retail Prices:

        All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

        Stipends Available:
        • National CyberWatch Premium Membership
        • National Cybersecurity Student Association Annual Membership
        • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
        • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)
        • NOTE: STIPEND ELIGIBILITY REQUIRES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCE SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, AS EVIDENCED BY COMPLETION OF SESSION EVALUATIONS.

        Feel free to reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
        • September 30, 2025
        • 11:59 PM
        • Zoom Online Conference
        Register


        Register for a
        Proposal Development Workshop


        Held Bi-Weekly (select your preferred dates)

        2025 Proposal Submissions accepted until 11:59 pm on September 30, 2025

        Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia (3CS) sessions explore or document innovative ideas, evidence-based practices, and demonstration of techniques and technologies for raising the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce. The Cybersecurity Skills Journal (CSJ) publishes Special Issues with Articles, Notes and Dialogues that impact cybersecurity practice, improve learning, and advance the state of the cybersecurity workforce’s capability maturity. 

        SESSION ORGANIZERS:

        Proposers of sessions for 3CS or manuscripts for CSJ are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of their session idea. Student proposals are warmly welcomed!

        The lead author of an accepted session proposal who has not previously presented their proposal is eligible for stipends to participate in a 3CS event. If you elect to attend in person and attend sessions throughout the event (including yours), you are eligible to receive a participation stipend of $200 and a travel stipend of up to $3,000 based on the distance from your home to the workshop venue. Stipend funding is limited. In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements, stipend availability is determined by the date of proposal acceptance and availability of funding from 3CS sponsors.

        Submit your session idea as soon as possible to ensure funds are available to support your attendance. Please refer to the Call for Session Proposals for further details on the dates, times, and locations. 

        MANUSCRIPT AUTHORS

        Please view our current open Calls for Proposals for more information on individual Special Issue topics and timelines. Submissions may address any aspect of research into cybersecurity but must align with the Journal’s mission: emphasis should be placed on enhancing the capabilities of the cybersecurity practitioner, educator, or researcher, not on technology.

        Cybersecurity Skills Journal authors benefit from exceptional support, including but not limited to constructive advice received from 10-person peer review and mentoring panels. We encourage authors to submit rough ideas initially that may be iteratively developed into an appropriate manuscript format.

        WORKSHOP MENTORS:

        All workshop mentors are recognized as a Fellow of the Cyber Ready G-Force -- the generating force raising cybersecurity capabilities and career readiness.

        OBSERVERS WELCOME: Want to learn how to develop a successful conference, grant, or publication proposal? Please select the "Observer" registration type to indicate that you wish to observe the workshop process to get a better idea of what is required to submit a proposal for a 3CS session or a CSJ manuscript.

        WORKSHOP AGENDA

        1. Introductions and Workshop Program Review

        2. Breakouts by symposium based on the proposal type. Depending on the number of proposals submitted to the workshop, the breakouts may be held simultaneously or in a sequence. Breakouts are led by a 3CS program chair or CSJ section editor with assigned mentors. Each proposal discussion is planned for 10 to 20 minutes to allow ample time for presentation of the session idea and discussion on how to develop the proposal to meet 3CS or CSJ requirements.

        Guided development of a session proposal pitch.

        Dialogue sessions:  A dialogue session is an exchange of ideas between experts and stakeholders, facilitated by the session moderator, highlighting different points of view, experiences, and expertise on a problem or area related to cybersecurity practices, including designing, developing, evaluating, learning, teaching, or performing cybersecurity roles and functions. Dialogue proposals should specify a problem limiting the development of cybersecurity capability maturity that is not well understood or addressed. The proposal should also include 3-5 thought-provoking, open-ended questions that will gather insights and experiences from session attendees about the factors that are the likely and substantive causes of this problem as well as potential inverventions that can impact the influence of causal factors to bring about a desired change in the problem. The goal of a Dialogue is to discover common themes and ideas for a future systematic study. 

        Evidence-Based Practice Sessions: Methods or interventions that data shows to be effective or ineffective in achieving a specific outcome. Proposals should specify how the method or intervention has impacted individual competence development or organizational effectiveness, preferably referencing the population studied and the correlation or effect size of the intervention factors on the level or degree of a desirable outcome or outcomes. Methods or interventions can be protocols or procedures for professional practice or curriculum or instructional designs for use by educators or trainers. 

        Demonstrations: Technical demonstrations that showcase the capabilities and features of the technology or technique for raising cybersecurity capability maturity, preferably including a hands-on experience for the audience. Breakouts based on the proposed session type

        Prospective authors of CSJ articles are asked to review the CSJ Overview Presentation before attending the Proposal Development Workshop. This presentation will help you to understand the Journal's mission, types of manuscripts, initial submission requirements, and timeline.


        QUESTIONS: Email us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org

        • September 30, 2025
        • 11:59 PM
        • Zoom Online Conference
        Register

        We greatly appreciate your interest in sharing your expertise and experience to assist with raising the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce through our Proposal Development Workshops.

        We will be conducting several information sessions. After you have registered for this event (not the one below), we will send you an email with the video conferencing information. If you wish to submit a proposal, use the link below to register. 

        • 01/31/25 at 2 pm ET
        • 02/04/25 at 1 pm ET
        • 02/18/25 at 1 pm ET
        • 02/21/25 at 2 pm ET
        • 02/25/25 at 1 pm ET


        Registration and Submission 

        >> 2025 3CS/CSJ Proposal Development Workshops


        Held Bi-Weekly (select your preferred dates)

        2025 Proposal Submissions accepted until 11:59 pm on September 30, 2025

        Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia (3CS) sessions explore or document innovative ideas, evidence-based practices, and demonstration of techniques and technologies for raising the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce. The Cybersecurity Skills Journal (CSJ) publishes Special Issues with Articles, Notes and Dialogues that impact cybersecurity practice, improve learning, and advance the state of the cybersecurity workforce’s capability maturity. 

        SESSION ORGANIZERS:

        Proposers of sessions for 3CS or manuscripts for CSJ are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of their session idea. Student proposals are warmly welcomed!

        The lead author of an accepted session proposal who has not previously presented their proposal is eligible for stipends to participate in a 3CS event. If you elect to attend in person and attend sessions throughout the event (including yours), you are eligible to receive a participation stipend of $200 and a travel stipend of up to $3,000 based on the distance from your home to the workshop venue. Stipend funding is limited. In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements, stipend availability is determined by the date of proposal acceptance and availability of funding from 3CS sponsors.

        Submit your session idea as soon as possible to ensure funds are available to support your attendance. Please refer to the Call for Session Proposals for further details on the dates, times, and locations. 

        MANUSCRIPT AUTHORS

        Please view our current open Calls for Proposals for more information on individual Special Issue topics and timelines. Submissions may address any aspect of research into cybersecurity but must align with the Journal’s mission: emphasis should be placed on enhancing the capabilities of the cybersecurity practitioner, educator, or researcher, not on technology.

        Cybersecurity Skills Journal authors benefit from exceptional support, including but not limited to constructive advice received from 10-person peer review and mentoring panels. We encourage authors to submit rough ideas initially that may be iteratively developed into an appropriate manuscript format.

        WORKSHOP MENTORS:

        All workshop mentors are recognized as a Fellow of the Cyber Ready G-Force -- the generating force raising cybersecurity capabilities and career readiness.

        OBSERVERS WELCOME: Want to learn how to develop a successful conference, grant, or publication proposal? Please select the "Observer" registration type to indicate that you wish to observe the workshop process to get a better idea of what is required to submit a proposal for a 3CS session or a CSJ manuscript.

        WORKSHOP AGENDA

        1. Introductions and Workshop Program Review

        2. Breakouts by symposium based on the proposal type. Depending on the number of proposals submitted to the workshop, the breakouts may be held simultaneously or in a sequence. Breakouts are led by a 3CS program chair or CSJ section editor with assigned mentors. Each proposal discussion is planned for 10 to 20 minutes to allow ample time for presentation of the session idea and discussion on how to develop the proposal to meet 3CS or CSJ requirements.

        Guided development of a session proposal pitch.

        Dialogue sessions:  A dialogue session is an exchange of ideas between experts and stakeholders, facilitated by the session moderator, highlighting different points of view, experiences, and expertise on a problem or area related to cybersecurity practices, including designing, developing, evaluating, learning, teaching, or performing cybersecurity roles and functions. Dialogue proposals should specify a problem limiting the development of cybersecurity capability maturity that is not well understood or addressed. The proposal should also include 3-5 thought-provoking, open-ended questions that will gather insights and experiences from session attendees about the factors that are the likely and substantive causes of this problem as well as potential inverventions that can impact the influence of causal factors to bring about a desired change in the problem. The goal of a Dialogue is to discover common themes and ideas for a future systematic study. 

        Evidence-Based Practice Sessions: Methods or interventions that data shows to be effective or ineffective in achieving a specific outcome. Proposals should specify how the method or intervention has impacted individual competence development or organizational effectiveness, preferably referencing the population studied and the correlation or effect size of the intervention factors on the level or degree of a desirable outcome or outcomes. Methods or interventions can be protocols or procedures for professional practice or curriculum or instructional designs for use by educators or trainers. 

        Demonstrations: Technical demonstrations that showcase the capabilities and features of the technology or technique for raising cybersecurity capability maturity, preferably including a hands-on experience for the audience. Breakouts based on the proposed session type

        Prospective authors of CSJ articles are asked to review the CSJ Overview Presentation before attending the Proposal Development Workshop. This presentation will help you to understand the Journal's mission, types of manuscripts, initial submission requirements, and timeline.


        QUESTIONS: Email us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org

        • October 30, 2025
        • 11:59 PM
        • Online
        Register


        Call for Participation in the

        Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Summit (3CS) Committees 


        Includes the Community College Cyber Summit, Cyber-Ready Skills Arcade that include regional and national competitions


        Membership in 3CS Committees are renewed annually in October of each year

        Over its nine-year history, the Community College Cyber Summit (3CS) has grown nearly every year to become "the signal event for cybersecurity education," as stated by a program director at the National Science Foundation. In the past, we have had to turn away many prospective attendees because the venue capacity was limited. Consequently, to better serve our nation's needs, 3CS will be considerably expanded in 2023 and beyond.

        We are expanding the 3CS program to host regional events throughout the year that will lead up to the next annual conference in Orlando in 2024. Attendance at each regional event is expected to equal or exceed the average attendance at our former annual events (between 300-450 attendees). The national conference venues will now support a much larger attendance of over 1,500 attendees. Each 3CS, regional and national, will combine programs for all stakeholder groups in cybersecurity education under one roof: Secondary and post-secondary education, workforce development, and recruiting and career services.

        3CS is produced by the member institutions of the National CyberWatch Center. A compendium celebrating the first five years of the conference was published in 2018 and is available here if further information about the conference is desired prior to making your decision to participate.

        As a guiding principle, we believe that the leadership of 3CS as a critical national resource demands the involvement of a diverse set of stakeholder groups, including educators, students, administrators, employers, policy-makers, and vendors, especially those from underrepresented populations. We embrace inclusivity by encouraging contributions from any and every cybersecurity community member who wants to have a voice.

        Click the Register Button (upper left-hand side of this page) to Volunteer for a Committee

        3CS succeeds because "it takes a village" to build a conference community. The long history of deep collaboration among NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects, centers, host institutions, and the many faculty and student volunteers from across the nation will support extending the 3CS community across the education pathway, from K-12 awareness and interest in a cybersecurity career to successful career exploration and employment of college and university graduates. 

        We will be conducting information sessions with members who register for the 3CS committees to learn of their ideas and interest in becoming a member or leader. We look forward to receiving your registration of interest in joining us to make this and future year's conference the best yet. 

        3CS needs your insights and leadership

        • May 31, 2033
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        Hire Harford First: Designing and evaluating the effectiveness of adapting courses in an Information Assurance and Cybersecurity degree program to a Competency-Based Mastery Learning curriculum

        This Advanced Technological Education (ATE) project, entitled Hire Harford First, sought to “develop curriculum and educational materials that are based on ATE-funded CyberWatch Center's practices, and to disseminate curricula, course materials, and best practices to the ATE and broader educational community, including insights whether competency-based learning produces graduates who are better capable of making immediate positive contributions upon entering the workplace.” HHF was a three-year study in the design, development, and implementation of innovative curriculum designed to foster Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML). The results showed “the strong potential to…produce more graduates, since it will reduce attrition, encourage persistence, and attract more participants based on its reputation of success.” When fully-implemented, CBML instructional design and associated instructional methods that “flip the classroom” whereby faculty become success coaches rather than instructors for students produced proficiency improvement, on average, of 1.94 sigma. Additionally, this research revealed important constraints to fully achieving the benefits of CBML instructional designs. 

        • May 31, 2033
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        Competence-Based Mastery Learning (CBML): A brief guide to what’s different about it and the effects on students and faculty

        Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML) is an evidence-based instructional design method that combines two techniques developed from research conducted by Benjamin Bloom. His research sought to overturn fundamental assumptions of the modern education system which originated in the early 20th century1. The Outcome-Based Education (OBE) model sought to select those worthy of advancement and career employment by conferring a learning outcome—a degree or certificate. OBE replaced an apprenticeship system of education that was not scalable. OBE was designed to make education available to the masses while ensuring efficient utilization of educational institution resources. Bloom believed that this instructional model was failing to meet the needs of most students and employers. The goal of education should not simply be graduation, but instead the development of proficient understanding as a foundation for developing competent performance in career-related learning objectives.

        • May 31, 2033
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        National CyberWatch Center’s Cybersecurity Curriculum Guide: A Complete Solution for Higher Education Institutions v3

        This guide, now in its third iteration, provides a complete curriculum solution for higher education institutions looking to create new cybersecurity programs and courses, and/or update existing ones.

        The Guide is the culmination of input from the National CyberWatch Curriculum Standards Panels, industry partners, labor market demand research, and over 20 years of content development experience.

        In addition to complete degrees and certificate templates, the technical courses have been mapped to effective instructional design practices, cyber range labs, the National Security Agency/Dept. of Homeland Security National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Knowledge Units (KUs), the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (NIST Special Publication 800-181), and industry competency and capability maturity models.

        DOWNLOAD your copy today !!

        • May 31, 2033
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        Working Paper: Mitigating Machine Learning Risks within a Vulnerable SIEM to Prevent Biased SOC Decisions

        In this working paper, authors Landmesser and Vommi explore weaknesses in machine learning systems used by a SIEM that present a technical issue, which can also negatively influence decisions made by SOC personnel. Incorrect ML classifications from APT attacks result in incorrect security decisions based on SIEM output, causing an even more damaging impact on required incident response.

        • May 31, 2033
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        Working Paper: The Two-Sigma Solution: Why competency-based mastery learning is more effective in readying students to succeed in college and a career

        In the 21st century, good teachers are being asked to use the supercharged version of a curriculum-driven instructional model that treats [students] as if they were learning on an assembly line. Covering way too much content at an unreasonable rate, with rigid pacing guides that make it impossible to find time to shape instruction to meet the individual needs of students, the system is breaking down. In spite of teaching to the test, our children are not doing better on international comparisons or compared to previous decades.
        -- Bob Sornson (Over-tested and under-prepared, 2015)

        This guide explains why competency-based mastery learning (CBML) is more aligned with student and employer needs. We review how the four main CBML features noted above are disrupting institutions, deepening understanding, and accelerating the development of expertise.