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Oakland University Center for Cybersecurity

The mission of the Oakland University Center for Cybersecurity is to advance interdisciplinary collaborative research and technology solutions in the field of cybersecurity. The mission will be achieved by leveraging the partnerships and resources of the university, and building upon the momentum that has been launched in research, curriculum and outreach in cybersecurity. In addition, the Center will position Oakland University to seek further funding through external funding resources.

Oakland University is designated as a NSA National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C).

Programs offered at OU are the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology*,  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, the Master of Science in Cybersecurity, and professional certificates through Professional and Continuing Education (PACE).

*The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology is the validated Program of Study (PoS) by the National Security Agency (NSA).

National Security Agency (NSA) National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity logo

Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity


Founding Director and Point of Contact (NCAE-C):
Huirong Fu, Ph.D
Distinguished Professor
Office: 528 EC
(248) 370-4456
Fax: (248) 370-4625
[email protected]

Founding Co-Director:
Xiaodong Deng, Ph.D
Professor
Office: 340 Elliott Hall
(248) 370-4089
[email protected]
Xiaodong Deng's website

Secretary:
Sherry Rank
Administrative Assistant
Office: 546 EC
(248) 370-2200
Fax: (248) 370-4625
[email protected]

Faculty Members:

Name Department
Mehdi Bagherzadeh School of Engineering and Computer Science
Debatosh Debnath School of Engineering and Computer Science
Huirong Fu School of Engineering and Computer Science
Subramaniam Ganesan School of Engineering and Computer Science
Darrin Hanna School of Engineering and Computer Science
Hua Ming School of Engineering and Computer Science
Lunjin Lu School of Engineering and Computer Science
Anyi Liu School of Engineering and Computer Science
Dae-Kyoo Kim School of Engineering and Computer Science
Julian Rrushi School of Engineering and Computer Science
Amartya Sen School of Engineering and Computer Science
Eralda Causha School of Business Administration
Xiaodong Deng School of Business Administration
Vijayan Sugumaran School of Business Administration
Thomas Lauer School of Business Administration
Eddie Cheng College of Arts and Sciences
Douglas Carr College of Arts and Sciences
Albert J. Meehan College of Arts and Sciences
Lori Crose Professional and Continuing Education

Clubs and Activities

Recent Events
CISA News

2023

July-August 2023 - GenCyber Student Summer Camps hosted.

June 2023 - OU received funding from NSF for Bridge to Cyber (B2C) Program GenCyber Teacher Summer Camp hosted.

April 2023 - CyberOU participated in the NCAE Cybergames Competition 2023. CyberOU participated in the 9th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. OU Students won 2nd and 3rd place for the 9th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition.

January 2023 - CyberOU has been reestablished and is looking for new members.

2021

July-August 2021 - GenCyber Student Summer Camps hosted.

May-July 2021 - REU: UnCoRe program hosted.

March 2021 -  GenCyber Student Summer Camps open for applications

March 2021 - 7th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition.  OU Students won first place.

2019

March 2019 - GenCyber Teacher Summer Camp 2019 program started to accept applications.

March 2019  - 6th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. OU Students won first place.

February 2019 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber Teachers Workshop Day.

February 2019 - 6th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. In March 8th, 2019, ISACA Detroit will host the 6th Annual Scholarship Competition.  This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a “real world” experience.  The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers. 

January 2019 - REU: UnCoRe program is open to accept applications now. The application deadline is March 1st, 2019.

2018

October 2018 - Our Ph.D. candidate, Hani Alshahrani, successfully defended his dissertation entitled "Detecting Android Malicious Applications Using Static and Dynamic Analysis Techniques". Congratulations Hani for your great achievement.

April 2018 - Oakland University has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education through academic year 2023. 

April 2018 - Our Ph.D. candidate, Hani Alshahrani, won the 1st Place ICCE 2018 (IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics) best poster video award for his presentation of his poster entitled "DDefender: Android Application Threat Detection Using Static and Dynamic Analysis." Congratulations Hani for your great work.

April 2018 - Among 21 teams from 3 universities participated in ISACA Scholarship Competition, our Ph.D. candidates, Ali Alshehri and Raed Alharthi, won the 1st Place in the 5th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. They won $4000 cash and OU earns the right to hold/display the ISACA Detroit trophy for one year. This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a "real world" experience. The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers. Congratulations Ali and Raed for your great work.

March 2018 - GenCyber summer camp program 2018 started to accept applications. 

March 2018 - 5th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Scholarship Competition. In March, ISACA Detroit hosted the 5th Annual Scholarship Competition.  This competition is designed to enrich the experience of students by providing them a “real world” experience.  The competition consists of a case study where contestants work on a case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who will play the role of potential future employers.  OU Students won first prize.

January 2018 - Cybersecurity 2018: A Video presentation and discussion. We kicked off the year with a look at how an actual cyber attack using ransomware took place in 2017, paralyzing the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Following this was a general discussion, Q&A, and update on the current state of Meltdown and Spectre (recent hard flaws and issues with current processor chips).

2017

October 2017 - Oakland University hosted the GrizzHacks competition which brought together the greatest young minds for two days of excitement and technological passion. 

July 2017 - REU: OU has successfully hosted the REU: UnCoRe program

July 2017 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber summer camp program that has delivered substantive cybersecurity training to upper elementary (4th, 5th and 6th grades), middle school, and high school students in Detroit Urban Area (Macomb county, Oakland county and Wayne county). 

April 2017 - Doctoral student wins Best Full Paper Award at 12th Cyber and Information Security Research Conference (CISRC 2017), Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 

April 2017 - GenCyber summer camp program started to accept applications.

2016

November 2016 - REU: UnCoRe program is open to accept applications now. The application deadline is February 28th, 2017. 

August 2016 - OU has successfully hosted the GenCyber summer camp program that has delivered substantive cybersecurity training to upper elementary (4th, 5th and 6th grades), middle school, and high school students in Detroit Urban Area (Macomb county, Oakland county and Wayne county). 

May 2016 - GenCyber summer camp program starts to accept application.

Student Resources:
Cybersecurity Careers Guide
Cybersecurity Certifications Guide
Cybersecurity Internship Guide
Cybersecurity Scholarship Guide
University Technology Services

Government Sites:

Conferences:

  • S&P (Oakland) (IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
  • CCS (ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security)
  • Crypto (International Cryptology Conference)
  • Eurocrypt (European Cryptology Conference)
  • Security (Usenix Security Symposium)
  • NDSS (ISOC Network and Distributed System Security Symposium)

Cyber Competitions:

Careers:

 

Agencies and Projects:

Brain Aneurysm Foundation

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, NeuroAssist: An Intelligent Decision Support System for Prediction of Brain Aneurysm Rupture, Brain Aneurysm Foundation, $40,000 (2018)

Comcast

  • Erik Fredericks, Developing Context-Aware Strategies to Minimize Impact on an Internet of Things Network, Comcast Innovation Fund, $50,000 (2017)

Fortinet

  • Julian Rrushi, Signature-Based Detector of Network Attacks on Industrial Control Systems, Fortinet, $46,864 (2020)

Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD)

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, Development of Secure Network Architecture with Built-In Mechanism for Future Forensic Analysis, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, $38,222 (2017-2018)

Magna Electronics

  • Dae-Kyoo Kim, Development of Supporting Tools for Driver Assistance Systems of Autonomous Vehicles, Magna Electronics, $143,891 (2016)

Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC)

  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, Towards Development of Deepfake Detection Framework, Michigan Space Grant Constortium, $3,000 (2020)
  • Julian Rrushi, Reverse Engineering Attacker Cognition through Malware Analysis, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2020)
  • Erik Fredericks, A Multi-Agent Approach for Minimizing Security and Power Concerns in Cyber-Physical Systems, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2017-2018)
  • Anyi Liu, Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing and Correlation against Advanced Cyber Intrusions, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 (2017-2018)

National Security Agency (NSA)

  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, Oakland Coalition:  Empowering Students and Teachers with Cybersecurity Knowledge across State Borders (2024-2026), NSA   *OU is the Coalition Lead in collaboration with University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCAT), Purdue University Northwest (PNW),  University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), and Bismarck State College (BSC)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, Oakland Coalition: Driving Automotive Industry WorkForce Transformation (DRIFT):  Excellence and Innovation in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (2024-2026) NSF/NSA *OU is the Coalition Lead in collaboration with  University of Delaware (UD), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), University of Michigan – Dearborn (UMD), Sinclair Community College (SCC) and Cleveland State University (CSU).
  • Curriculum Development: Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Cybersecurity, sponsored by NSA and sub-awarded by Towson University (2024)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency (2023-2025)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency (2023-2025)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency (2022-2024)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency (2022-2024)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $147,958.58 (2021-2023)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2020-2021)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2019-2020)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber Student Program – Entry Level, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2018-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, GenCyber: Cybersecurity Camp for K-12 Teachers, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2018-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, Inspiring the Next Generation of Cyber Stars, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2017-2018)
  • Huirong Fu, Inspiring the Next Generation of Cyber Stars, National Security Agency, $100,000 (2016-2017)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

  • NSF REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research in Cybersecurity and AI (UnCoRe-CyberAI) (2024-2027)
  • Collaborative Research:  Advancing Microelectronics Education through Informal Learning across State Borders (2024-2025)
  • Huirong Fu and Darrin Hanna, Bridge 2 Cyber (B2C), National Science Foundation (2023-2025)
  • Huirong Fu, Darrin Hanna, Lumjin Lu, and Amartya Sen, CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Cyber Defense of Intelligent Systems, National Science Foundation (2021-2026)
  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Cyber Security, National Science Foundation, $360,000 (2019)
  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Cyber Security, National Science Foundation, $20,000 (2019)
  • Khalid Mahmood Malik, ForensicExaminer: Testbed for Benchmarking Digital Audio Forensic Algorithms, National Science Foundation, $199,909 (2018-2021)
  • Erik Fredericks, CRII: CPS: Minimizing the Oracle Problem for Self-Adaptive Cyber-Physical Systems, National Science Foundation, $163,637 (2017-2019)
  • Anyi Liu, Collaborative Research: Building Cybersecurity Capacity in Pervasive Computing, National Science Foundation, $143,306 (2016-2019)
  • Huirong Fu, REU: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace, National Science Foundation, $359,988 (2015-2018)
  • Tao Shu, NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Network Economics for Secondary Spectrum Ecosystems, National Science Foundation, $232,476 (2015-2018)
  • Tao Shu, Collaborative Research: EARS: Large-Scale Statistical Learning based Spectrum Sensing and Cognitive Networking, National Science Foundation, $262,347 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, SHF: Small: Collaborative: Application-aware Energy Modeling and Power Management for Parallel and High Performance Computing, National Science Foundation, $249,875 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, SHF: Medium: Collaborative: Compute on Data Path: Combating Data Movement in High- Performance Computing, National Science Foundation, $128,100 (2014-2017)
  • Yonghong Yan, Image Processing Cloud (IPC): A Domain-Specific Cloud Computing Infrastructure for Research and Education, University of Houston/National Science Foundation $38,733 (2012-2016)
  • Huriong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe), National Science Foundation, $319,941 (2011-2014)
  • Huirong Fu, CCLI - Phase 1: Information Assurance and Security Education with A Multidisciplinary Collaborative Approach in A Realistic Environment, National Science Foundation, $115,096 (2008-2011)
  • Huriong Fu, CT-ER: TrusT-US: Trustworthy Transportation Ubiquitous Systems, National Science Foundation, $249,999 (2007-2010)
  • Huirong Fu, REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) for Women at Oakland University, National Science Foundation, $268,152 (2006-2009)
  • Huirong Fu, CyberSecurity Capacity Building, National Science Foundation, $57,921 (2005-2008)
  • Huirong Fu, CyberSecurity Capacity Building at North Dakota, National Science Foundation, $199,921 (2003-2005)

United States Air Force

  • Julian Rrushi, Defense OS-Resident Cyber Deception Operations Rooted in MILDEC, United States Air Force, $179,645 (2019)

United States Department of Defense (DAPRA)

  • Julian Rrushi, A Quest for the Physics of Cyberspace, United States Department of Defense/DARPA, $754,391 (2020)

Sami Ben Romdhane, Vice President, eBay
Tim Bates, CTO, Lenovo
John Thompson, Global Head, AI & Rapid Data Lab, CSL BEHRING
Karim Beguir, CEO, InstaDeep
Ben Amaba, Vice President, Clarifai
Jaison Busby, IT Director, DTE
Sanjay Khunger, Head, Smart Connected Mobility, Cognizant
Ali Husain, Director, Vehicle Software and AI, R&D, Ford Motor Company.
Denise Graves, University Relations Director, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Mary Isrow, Director, TACOM Data & Analytics Directorate (D&AD), TACOM Chief Data & Analytics Officer (CD&AO)
Neda Cvijetic, Head of AI, Stellantis
Sanjeev Katariya, Director of Engineering, Airbnb
Said Ouissal, CEO, ZEDEDA
Fred Killeen, Chief Technology Officer, General Motors
Berta Rodriguez-Hervas, VP of AI, Stellantis
Jeff Baetz, CTO, Global Technology Industry / Manufacturing, IBM
Steve Marney, Chief Technologist, DMI Digital Management, Inc
Andre Weimerskirch, Vice president, Cyber Security, Lear Cooperation
Steve Polakowski, President, ESG Automotive USA
Jamal Farhat, VP and Chief Information OfficerVP and Chief Information Officer, BorgWarner Inc.
Dominic Dabish, Senior Software Engineer, Google
Usman Mansoor, Senior Manager, Amazon
Nabil Raad, Vice President, Data Science, General Motors Financial
Ramesh S, Technical Fellow, General Motors
Rob Tiffany, Managing Director, Digital Insights
Samir Tata, Senior Engineering Manager, LinkedIn
Chaima Abid, Senior Scientist, Microsoft
Tara Vatcher, Senior Vice President, Stellantis
Khalil Othman, Global Manager Cyber Security, Stellantis
William (Bill) Lambertson, Vice President Cloud, 5G and Edge, IBM
Tony G. Geara, Deputy Chief of Mobility Innovation, City of Detroit
David J Corliss, Vice President of Data Science, OnStar Insurance
Nick Curcuru, Head of Solutions and Analytics, Vena

The Bridge Program to the Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity (B2C@OU)

The Bridge 2 Cyber Program at Oakland University (“B2C@OU”) will engage students in learning programming, networking, and systems administration specifically designed for cybersecurity. The program would allow students to learn the requisite knowledge at their own pace, online or in-person, with a personal support, and with an affordable investment. We will accomplish this by creating three non-credit courses, where students can enroll inexpensively, gain pre-requisite knowledge and skills efficiently, and earn digital badges on their transcripts.

Target Audience

B2C@OU is designed for students who are completing, or have completed, an undergraduate degree in a non-computing discipline and interested in learning more about cybersecurity to enhance their current area of study/work or as a career move. While students could come from any undergraduate discipline, we anticipate B2C@OU being particularly attractive to those who have studied political science, economics, education, business, criminal justice, or mathematics. Prospective students could be working full-time or part-time in non-computing sectors, or they could be upcoming/recent graduates who majored in a different discipline and now desire to combine that knowledge with cybersecurity skills. We will pay special attention to seeking out individuals from populations historically underrepresented in cybersecurity.

Curriculum

The curriculum, available through an online portal, includes three key non-credit courses:

  1. Programming with Python - students will be introduced to Python as a first language.  Topics will include variables, conditional statements, repetitive structures, I/O, arrays, functions, data processing, and working with libraries emphasizing libraries for cybersecurity and AI.
  2. Introduction to Computer Networks - An overview of the fundamental concepts for design and analysis of computer networks and cyber defense strategies. Topics will include the physical layer, network protocols, Local Area Networks, Internet, wireless and mobile networks, network security, socket programming, network vulnerabilities, availability, and countermeasures.
  3. System Administration - Students will learn how to analyze, deploy, manage and troubleshoot enterprise computing infrastructures. Topics will include user authentication management, system configuration and management, periodic tasks automation, network file systems and data backup techniques, server deployments, and system maintenance and performance analysis.

Students can complete the bridge at their own pace. Highly motivated learners will be able to complete the program in as few as 3-4 months; on average, it will require 8-12 months for completion.

Delivery

We aim to deliver the program by embracing four innovative design elements:

  1. Guided self-paced and individualized study
  2. Learning framework that provides structure to guide purposeful pacing and individualization
  3. Library of educational modules inclusive of commonly available, free, online learning, as well as OU labs for each of the three curricular areas.
  4. Weekly problem-solving demonstrations online and in-person at different levels, providing a scaffolding approach for students.

With this architecture, students can learn at their own pace, starting at a point that is attractive to them, and engage either in one learning area at a time or all three simultaneously for variety.

Participants will earn a digital badge for each learning area that they successfully complete.  Students then present these digital badges to gain admission to the MSC at OU, gain admission to a program elsewhere, or advance in their jobs. This flexible and affordable program will access the non-computing community by meeting participants at their level and delivering a hands-on learning experience at a pace and place that suits them.

Application

Please submit your application materials by accessing this web page:  https://etap.nsf.gov/award/183/opportunity/3632

  1. Resume including a list of academic recognition, awards, honors and distinctions received
  2. Transcripts from all of the colleges and universities attended (scanned copies are preferred)
  3. Personal Statement
    1. goals and motivations to pursue a career in cybersecurity
    2. past achievements and experiences related to cybersecurity
    3. leadership, teamwork, and communication skills

There is NO application deadline. The admission is rolling based and FREE OF CHARGE.

Point of Contact:
Professor Huirong Fu: [email protected].

Latest Updates and Upcoming Events
  1. New applications for the 2023-2024 CyberCorps cohort (starting in Fall 2023) are now being accepted. View details and apply here. There is NO application deadline. The admission is rolling based.
  2. Two CyberCorps info sessions will be held in February-March 2023. View the Powerpoint for the information session. View the recorded video.
  3. If you have any questions or comments, contact us at: [email protected]
  4. Application link: https://etap.nsf.gov/award/183/opportunity/185
The CyberCorps Fellowship: A Pathway to a Job with the U.S. Government in CyberSecurity

The OU CyberCorps program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) CyberCorps® SFS program, which is a unique national program designed to recruit and train the next generation of information technology professionals, industrial control system security professionals and security managers to meet the needs of the cybersecurity mission for Federal, State, local and tribal governments.

This program provides full scholarships and an annual stipend for two or three years of study for cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate education along with pathways directly to government jobs in CyberSecurity.  This fellowship is specifically designed for students who want to work in government; recipients must agree to work after graduation for the U.S. Government, in a position related to cybersecurity, for a period equal to the length of the scholarship.

The CyberCorps program at OU will provide students with a visible, competitive pathway to exciting, rewarding careers in serving the United States government in cybersecurity and cyber-defense. OU’s cybersecurity program offers undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to engage in a curriculum with hands-on activities and multidisciplinary courses in information technology, computer science, engineering, management, and ethics. OU’s Center for Cybersecurity provides an immersive cyber-defense ecosystem for students, including research experiences, projects, clubs, organizations, camps, and a long history of outreach to K-12 students and teachers. Students will complete a project with a faculty and government mentor with activities including security policies, system vulnerabilities and countermeasures, legal and social issues, artificial intelligence in mobile security and wireless security, protecting machine learning algorithms, and security in big data. The program will also include a multi-level advising and mentorship program specifically for cybersecurity in government that will help students work towards building skills for government cybersecurity and cyberdefense, earning security credentials, and finding and selecting government positions for employment after they graduate.

Eligibility Criteria for the Scholarship

To be eligible for consideration for the CyberCorps scholarship, the student must meet ALL of the following: 

  • United States citizen or lawful permanent resident;
  • Demonstrate a commitment to a career in cybersecurity;
  • Meet selection criteria for U.S. federal employment;
    Internship placements and final job placements in government organizations typically require high-level security clearances. Scholarship recipients are required to undergo the background investigation necessary to obtain such clearances. For reference purposes, you can review the federal SF-86 form- Questionnaire for National Security Positions. However, do NOT fill out the form for this Cybercorps application.
  • Have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA;
  • Current or prospective full-time student pursuing cybersecurity-related degrees at OU.
    CyberCorps scholars will be chosen from the following three program tracks:
    1. BS in IT or CS or Cybersecurity
    2. BS in IT or CS or Cybersecurity (Senior) + MS in Cybersecurity
    3. MS in Cybersecurity
Scholarship Benefits

CyberCorps scholars i.e. scholarship recipients shall receive all of the following:

  • Full-time tuition and education-related fees
  • Stipend: $27,000 per year for undergraduate students and $37,000 per year for graduate students 
  • Professional development allowance (travel, professional certification, etc.) up to $6,000 per academic year 

Other Professional Benefits: 

  • Opportunities working for the Federal, State, or Local Governments
  • Personalized six-level academic advising from different entities like Student Advising Office, CyberCorps Alumni, Government Agency Mentor, Research Advisor, Career Services, and Faculty Mentor (CyberCorps Team Members)
  • Supports from professional communities and attain professional certifications
  • Attending CyberCorps seminars, annual field trips, cybersecurity competitions 
  • Exposure to Outreach like NSA/NSF funded GenCyber Student-Teacher program and Lab activities
  • Research Engagement through NSF-funded programs like NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program and working with individual faculty members on research. 
Obligations for a Scholarship Recipient

CyberCorps scholars must agree to:

  • Work immediately following graduation for the Federal Government or a State, Local, or Tribal Government in a position related to cybersecurity for a period equal to the length of the scholarship 
  • Participate in government internship positions in the summers during the years of scholarship study 
  • Participate in other CyberCorps activities, such as weekly individual meetings, monthly group meetings, cyber competitions, conferences, and workshops 
  • Report their progress every month by submitting a report describing what has been accomplished in terms of coursework, research projects, extracurricular activities, outreach, conference and presentation, and internship and/or job placement
  • Meet other CyberCorps requirements, such as signing Service Agreement Forms and maintaining good academic standing 

CyberCorps scholars are responsible to apply for and obtain a position. OU’s CyberCorps program will provide assistance to CyberCorps scholars by helping identify employment opportunities.

CyberCorps Program Tracks at OU

Oakland University’s CyberCorps program provides scholarship opportunities with the following program tracks. If you are not sure about different options, contact the PI, Dr. Huirong Fu ([email protected]) to discuss your study plan.

Track 1: BS in IT or CS (Junior and Senior Level)
Apply if you are a Sophomore

Students will receive two-year support (junior + senior year) after applying and being selected as CyberCorps scholars.

Track 2: BS in IT or CS (Senior) + MS in Cybersecurity
Apply if you are a Junior

Students will receive up to three-year CyberCorps scholarship support (senior year + two-year MS) after applying and being selected in their junior year of undergraduate study.

Track 3: MS in Cybersecurity
Apply if you are a Senior

Students will receive two-year scholarship support (MS year one + year two) after applying and being selected as an CyberCorps scholar in their senior year.

Track 4: Transfer Students from Community Colleges

Transfer students from Community Colleges interested in the CyberCorps program are recommended to contact the program’s PI - Dr. Huirong Fu ([email protected]) for further information.

Fellowship Application

Application Materials: 

A complete CyberCorps application must include the following items, in addition to the online application form

  1. Proof of U.S. Citizenship or lawful permanent resident status
  2. A resume including a list of academic recognition, awards, honors and distinctions received
  3. Transcripts from all of the colleges and universities attended (scanned copies are preferred)
  4. Personal Statement (up to 5,000 characters)
    1. goals and motivations to pursue a career in cybersecurity
    2. commitment to the service obligation and understanding of government jobs
    3. past achievements and experiences related to cybersecurity
    4. leadership, teamwork, and communication skills
  5. At least two letters of recommendation
    1. Letter of recommendations should address the applicant's academic performance, the potential for success, character, work ethic, and leadership.

Apply Now

There is NO application deadline. The admission is rolling based.

Scholarship opportunities are limited, early application is strongly recommended.

Candidate Selection Criteria:

This CyberCorps scholarship opportunity at Oakland University is a highly selective process and subject to grant funding availability. After the initial assessment based on submitted application materials, a shortlist will be generated for in-person interviews (with approximately 30 minutes of an oral presentation by the candidates followed by a Q&A session from the faculty). Candidates in the shortlist will also be asked to complete a questionnaire for a background check.

Underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, first-generation / low-income students, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Scholarship recipients will be selected based on an overall assessment of the following factors:

  1. Materials submitted through the online application (Resume, Transcript, Personal Statement, Letter of Recommendations)
  2. OU program eligibility
  3. Motivation and commitment to government service
  4. Excellent academic performance and experiences, strong communication skills, leadership, and professional ethics
  5. Eligibility for security clearances
  6. Performance during in-person interviews (Oral Presentation and Q&A Session)
Contact Information

For any additional information and questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Meet the Team

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Huirong Fu
Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Founding Director, Center for Cybersecurity
Designated NCAE-C by the NSA and DHS
Email: [email protected]

Co-Principal Investigators:

Dr. Darrin Hanna
Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-2170
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Lunjin Lu
Professor and Chair, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-2200
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Amartya Sen
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Tel: (248) 370-4260
Email: [email protected]

Welcome to the GenCyber Teacher Program! This program is designed for K-12 teachers in the Detroit Metro Area, inviting participants from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Below are important details regarding the program:

  1. Program Cost: The GenCyber Teacher Program is completely free for all participants. There are no fees associated with attending.
  2. No Prior Experience Required: No prior background or experience in cybersecurity is necessary to attend this program. It is open to teachers interested in integrating cybersecurity concepts into their teaching.
  3. Stipend Details
    • Participants will receive a flat-rate stipend of $600 for attending both the pre-camp outreach activities and the entire duration of the summer camp.
    • An additional stipend of $400 will be provided for attending post-camp outreach activities.
  4. Educational Resources: Participants will leave the camp equipped with resources and tools that can be directly utilized in their classrooms. These materials are aimed at enhancing cybersecurity education within their curricula or after-school activities.
  5. Curriculum Integration: Teachers will have the opportunity to design lesson plans and activities based on what aligns best with their existing curricula or after-school programs.
  6. Certificate of Accomplishment: Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate recognizing their achievement in the GenCyber Teacher Program.
  7. Continuing Education Units (CEUs): CEUs will be offered upon approval, providing teachers with professional development credits.

We encourage you to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to enhance your teaching with cybersecurity education. For any questions or further information, please contact [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming you to the GenCyber Teacher Program and supporting your professional growth in cybersecurity education!

Apply to the GenCyber Teacher Program

Objectives

The objectives of GenCyber Teacher Program:

  • Increase cybersecurity awareness and interests among teachers
  • Construct a community that promotes cybersecurity practice and resource-sharing
  • Help K-12 teachers design, develop, and implement viable cybersecurity-related lesson plans
  • Provide educational opportunities to a diverse population of teachers, including those from the underrepresented groups and communities
Program Information

Camp Dates and Time:

June 24 - 28, 2024

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Financial Support:

  1. Stipend Details: Each participant will receive a flat-rate stipend at the end of the program. This stipend is intended to cover transportation costs and other expenses associated with attending the camp.
  2. Eligibility Requirements: To qualify for the stipend, participants must meet the following criteria:
    • Attend the pre-camp outreach session.
    • Attend the entire duration of the camp, which spans 5 days.
    • Complete all activities and requirements set forth by the camp organizers.
  3. Lunch Provided: The camp will provide lunch for all participants each day of the program.

Please ensure that you fulfill these requirements to be eligible for the stipend. For any further inquiries regarding financial support or other aspects of the camp, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Program Timeline

MAY: Pre-Camp Outreach  (ZOOM)

3 intensive instructional hours

Camp Orientation

  • Overview of the GenCyber program
  • Introduction of camp personnel & teachers
  • Review schedule and topics
  • Share camp curriculum materials
  • Invited talks given by previous GenCyber teacher participants
  • Employment paperwork
  • Initiation surveys

JUNE: Summer Camp (in person, on site)

6.5 intensive instructional hours per day

Monday

Cybersecurity

  • Activity 1.1: Icebreaker
  • Activity 1.2: Videos (Cybersecurity, The Internet: Cybersecurity & Crime, and Computer Viruses and Threats)
  • Activity 1.3: Cybersecurity discussions and case studies
  • Introduction to Mobile Security
  • Activity 1.4: Mobile security case studies
  • Lab 1.1: Pictures may leak your location
  • Lab 1.2: Get location by HTML5
  • Activity 1.5: Invited speaker
  • Activity 1.6: Kahoot!
  • Activity 1.7: Support developing lesson
  • Activity 1.8: Team discussion and lesson plan

Tuesday

Cryptography

  • Activity 2.1: Videos (The Internet: Encryption & Public Keys, and Cyber code)
  • Lab 2.1: Caesar Cipher using Scratch
  • Lab 2.2: Caesar Cipher using Python
  • Activity 2.2: Scavenger Hunt
  • Activity 2.3: Games (public key cryptography and information hiding)
  • Activity 2.4: Taboo
  • Activity 2.5: Individual lesson plan

Wednesday

Cybersecurity Ethics and Online Behavior

  • Activity 3.1: Video (The Secret Lives of Hackers)
  • Activity 3.2: Cyberbullying workshop
  • Activity 3.3: Cyberbullying case studies and discussions
  • Activity 3.4: Online behavior posters
  • Activity 3.5: Game (Nova Labs)
  • Activity 3.6: Kahoot!
  • Invited speaker
  • Activity 3.7: Team discussion and lesson plan

Thursday

Programming

  • Lab 4.1: Scratch (Grades K-5 teachers)
  • Lab 4.2: Python (Grades 6-8 teachers)
  • Lab 4.3: Finch Robotics (All teachers)
  • Lab 4.4: Java (Grades 9-12 teachers)
  • Invited speaker
  • Activity 4.1: Kahoot!
  • Activity 4.2: Support developing lesson
  • Activity 4.3: Individual lesson plan

Friday

Cybersecurity Lesson Plan Presentation and Certificate Ceremony

  • Activity 5.1 Individual lesson plan
  • Activity 5.2 Follow-up plan
  • Activity 5.3 Lesson plan and follow-up plan presentation
  • Exit surveys & certificate ceremony

SEPTEMBER-FEBRUARY: Post-Camp Outreach Activities (Zoom)

Monthly Teaching Workshops (17 intensive instructional hours in total)

  • Review 1-3 theme topic(s) - see below
  • Discuss about the experiences and lessons in implementation
  • Provide technical support
  • Invited talks given by previous GenCyber teacher participants
  • Q & A and Surveys

Themes:

September:

Theme 1: Cybersecurity Ethics and Online Behavior

Theme 2: Awareness of Opportunities in Cybersecurity

Theme 3: Cybersecurity Clubs

October: Theme 4: First Principles

November: Theme 5: Cybersecurity

December: Theme 6: Cryptography

January: Theme 7: Programming (Scratch/Python/Java)

February: Theme 8: Summary of ALL Topics and Exit Survey

Program Curriculum

First Principles of Security

  • Domain Separation
  • Minimization
  • Process Isolation
  • Modularity
  • Data Hiding
  • Abstraction
  • &Layering
  • Resource Encapsulation
  • Least Privilege
  • Simplicity

Activities:

  • Posters
  • Playing cards
  • Slides
  • Activities
  • Quiz with Kahoot!
  • Teacher presentations

Ethics of Cybersecurity

  • What is ethics?
  • Why is an ethical mindset important to a cybersecurity professional?
  • Codes of Ethics (samples)
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Cybersecurity

Activities:

  • Videos
  • Ethics-Post
  • Case studies
  • Guest speaker: Ethical hacker

Cybercrimes and Cyber Laws

CyberBullying and Other High-Tech Crimes involving Michigan Kids

  • Cyber Harassment & Text Messaging
  • Cyber Bullying
  • Identity Theft
  • Child Pornography
  • Computer Hacking

Activities:

  • Invited talks
  • Videos
  • Case studies
  • Teacher presentations

Online Safety

Correct and Safe Online Behavior

By acting responsibly and respectfully, kids will enjoy their time online and get the best of the Internet while mostly avoiding things such as cyberbullying and inappropriate content.

  • Communicate appropriately
  • Keep private things private
  • Follow your family’s rules
  • Think before you post, text, or share
  • Respect others
  • Don’t lie, steal, or cheat
  • Be an “upstander”
  • Report misbehavior

Activities:

  • Invited talks
  • Videos
  • Case studies
  • Teacher presentations

Cybersecurity

Overview of Cybersecurity

  • What is security?
  • Why is it important?
  • What is the national response?
  • What are the basic components of security?
  • What are the attack models and countermeasures?

Principles of Cryptography

  • What is cryptography?
  • What are the key technologies?
  • What problems can it solve?

Online Social Networks: Threats and Solutions

  • What are the threats?
    ·How to defend?
    ·What are the privacy issues?
    ·How to perform forensic investigation?

Activities:

  • Attack and defense demonstrations
  • Case studies
  • Hands-on experiments
  • Invited talks
  • Teacher presentations
  • Videos
Daily Activities

Typical Daily Schedule:

  • 8:30-9:00 - Icebreaker activity
  • 9:00-9:45 - Discussion about learning goals, technologies, tools, or tasks
  • 9:45-10:30 - Demonstration of hands-on labs/case studies
  • 10:30-10:45 - Break
  • 10:45-12:00 - Hands-on labs/case studies (teamwork)
  • 12:00-13:00 - Lunch
  • 13:00-14:30 - Labs or invited talks
  • 14:30-14:45 - Break
  • 14:45-16:45 - Class discussion and lesson plan development
  • 16:45-17:00 - Review and feedback from participants

Descriptions:

  • Icebreaker Activity:Engaging activity to build rapport and teamwork among participants.
  • Discussion:Focuses on setting learning goals for the day, introducing new technologies, tools, or discussing upcoming tasks.
  • Demonstration:Instructor-led demonstration of practical labs or case studies to illustrate concepts.
  • Hands-on Labs/Case Studies:Participants work in teams to apply their knowledge and skills in practical scenarios.
  • Lunch:Break for participants to refresh and socialize.
  • Labs or Invited Talks:Further hands-on activities or guest speakers providing insights into specific topics.
  • Break:Short break to rest and recharge.
  • Class Discussion and Lesson Plan Development:Participants engage in discussions related to the day's topics and collaborate on developing lesson plans or refining their understanding.
  • Review and Feedback:Participants reflect on the day's activities and provide feedback, allowing instructors to assess progress and adjust future sessions if needed.

This schedule ensures a structured approach to learning, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application and collaborative activities, fostering a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity concepts among the participants.

Apply Now

Instructions for Registration:

  1. Principal's Letter Requirement: During the registration process, you must attach a signed letter from your school's principal. This letter should indicate strong support for teachers to integrate cybersecurity curricular materials and modules into existing courses and/or after-school activities. Please ensure you have this letter ready before proceeding with registration.
  2. Complete Application Process: To be considered for the CyberGen Summer Camp, you must complete the entire application process. This includes filling out the application form, attaching the principal's letter, and submitting any necessary documentation.
  3. Attendance Requirement: Applicants must commit to attending the camp for its entire duration of 5 days. Only those who can attend all days of the camp will be considered for acceptance.
  4. Evaluation and Acceptance: Once the evaluation process is completed, acceptance letters will be sent to applicants via email. Please ensure the email address provided during registration is accurate and regularly checked.

Thank you for your interest in the GenCyber Teacher program. We look forward to receiving your completed application and welcoming you to an exciting educational experience.

Apply to the GenCyber Teacher Program

 

The letters NSF over a globe, wrapped in a circle of gold spokes. The words National Security Agency in a circle around an image of an eagle and a flag The word GenCyber across a globe with gold graphic lines

GenCyber Student Camp is a FREE summer daytime program geared to middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12)) students from Detroit Metro Area, including Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

Our GenCyber Summer Camp aims to empower students with essential knowledge and skills in cybersecurity, a field crucial for success in today's world. In this immersive and hands-on camp, students will learn and practice the GenCyber cybersecurity concepts, cybersecurity ethics, cybersecurity first principles, cybersecurity career awareness, online safety, cryptography, cyber threats, cybercrimes and cyber laws, and technical skills (e.g., Python, Java)

Our camp is designed to be inclusive, welcoming students from all backgrounds, particularly those from socioeconomically challenged and underrepresented communities in the Detroit Metro Area. Here, students will have the opportunity to explore their interests in cybersecurity, discover their potential, and refine their talents under the guidance of experienced mentors and instructors. Our ultimate goal is to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. By fostering a passion for cybersecurity early on, we aim to encourage students to pursue cybersecurity degrees and careers, ultimately contributing to the security and resilience of our communities and the nation. No prior cybersecurity knowledge or experience is required to participate.

Apply to the GenCyber Student Camp in Cybersecurity

Learning Outcomes

These objectives provide a structured approach for participants to develop a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity concepts, skills, and ethical considerations appropriate for their age groups.

By the end of summer camps the participants in each age group will learn and be able to do the following:

Middle School (Grades 6-8):

  1. Understanding of Online Risks:
    • Be aware of different online behaviors and associated risks.
  1. Demonstration of Cyber Threats:
    • Be able to illustrate cyber threats in daily online activities such as web surfing and social media usage.
  1. Basic Security Knowledge:
    • Understand fundamental security issues related to online activities.
  1. Ethics of Cybersecurity:
    • Adherent to ethical principles and understanding cyber laws.
  1. Skill Development:
    • Acquire new skills like teamwork, presentation preparation, public speaking, and communication.
  1. Self-Confidence Online:
    • Build self-confidence in navigating online environments safely.
  1. Cyberethics, Cybersafety, and Cybersecurity:
    • Identify ethical and legal issues in technology use and applying knowledge practically.
  1. System Vulnerabilities:
    • Describe key network security tools such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
  1. Information Hiding (Steganography):
    • Define techniques like injection and substitution and understanding tools and threats related to information hiding.
  1. Cryptography:
    • Describe security definitions, cryptographic primitives, and basic protocols.

High School (Grades 9-12):

In addition to the middle school objectives, high school students will focus on:

  1. Integration of C3 Concepts:
    • Apply concepts of cyber-safety, cyber-security, and cyber-ethics into existing technology standards and curricula.
  1. System Administration and Networking:
    • Understand network hardware, software components, protocols, and their hierarchical relationships.
  1. Advanced System Vulnerabilities:
    • Gain knowledge of common attacking techniques such as viruses, Trojans, worms, and memory exploits.
  1. Advanced Information Hiding (Steganography):
    • Further understand techniques, tools, and threats related to information hiding.
  1. Advanced Cryptography:
    • Understand cryptographic theories, principles, techniques and differences between encryption/decryption algorithms.
Camp Information and Activities

2024 Camps:

Dates:

High School Camp (grades 9-12) July 29, 2024 - August 2, 2024

Middle School Camp (grades 6-8) August 5, 2024 - August 9, 2024.

Time: 8:30 am- 4:30 pm

Location: Oakland University Campus, Rochester Hills MI

Here's a detailed daily schedule for your summer camp focusing on cybersecurity education:

Typical Daily Schedule:

  • 8:15-8:30 - Registration
  • 8:30-9:00 - Icebreaker activity (e.g., Marshmallow challenge)
  • 9:00-9:15 - Discussion on learning goals, technologies, tools, and tasks
  • 9:15-9:45 - Demonstration of hands-on labs or case studies
  • 9:45-10:00 - Break
  • 10:00-12:00 - Hands-on labs and case studies (teamwork)
  • 12:00-13:00 - Lunch
  • 13:00-14:30 - Hands-on labs and presentation preparation (teamwork)
  • 14:30-15:00 - Break
  • 15:00-15:45 - Group presentation sessions (teamwork)
  • 15:45-16:15 - Quiz with Kahoot! (individual)
  • 16:15-16:30 - Review and feedback from participants
  • 16:30 - Dismissal

Description:

  • Registration: Participants sign in and get settled for the day.
  • Icebreaker Activity: Engages students and helps in team building.
  • Discussion: Sets the stage for the day’s learning objectives and topics.
  • Demonstration: Instructor-led demonstrations of cybersecurity concepts or tools.
  • Hands-on Labs / Case Studies: Practical sessions where students work in teams to apply what they've learned.
  • Lunch: Break for lunch to refresh and recharge.
  • Presentation Preparation: Teams prepare presentations based on their lab work.
  • Group Presentations: Teams present their findings and solutions to the group.
  • Quiz with Kahoot!: Interactive quiz session to reinforce learning and assess understanding.
  • Review and Feedback: Provides an opportunity for participants to reflect on the day and receive feedback from instructors.

This schedule ensures a balance between theoretical understanding and practical application, fostering teamwork, communication skills, and confidence in cybersecurity concepts among the participants.

Detailed Camp Curriculum

First Principles of Security

  • Domain Separation
  • Minimization
  • Process Isolation
  • Modularity
  • Data Hiding
  • Abstraction
  • Layering
  • Resource Encapsulation
  • Least Privilege
  • Simplicity

Activities:

  • Posters
  • Playing cards
  • Slides
  • Activities
  • Quiz with Kahoot!
  • Teacher presentations

Ethics of Cybersecurity

  • What is ethics?
  • Why is an ethical mindset important to a cybersecurity professional?
  • Codes of Ethics (samples)
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Cybersecurity

Activities:

  • Videos
  • Ethics-Post
  • Case studies
  • Guest speaker: Ethical hacker

Cybercrimes and Cyber Laws

CyberBullying and Other High-Tech Crimes involving Michigan Kids

  • Cyber Harassment & Text Messaging
  • Cyber Bullying
  • Identity Theft
  • Child Pornography
  • Computer Hacking

Activities:

  • Guest Speaker: OK2SAY
  • Videos
  • Case studies
  • Teacher presentations

Online Safety

Correct and Safe Online Behavior

By acting responsibly and respectfully, kids will enjoy their time online and get the best of the Internet while mostly avoiding things such as cyberbullying and inappropriate content.

  • Communicate appropriately
  • Keep private things private
  • Follow your family’s rules
  • Think before you post, text, or share
  • Respect others
  • &Don’t lie, steal, or cheat
  • Be an “upstander”
  • Report misbehavior

Activities:

  • Invited talks
  • Videos
  • Case studies
  • Teacher presentations

Cybersecurity

Overview of Cybersecurity

  • What is security?
  • Why is it important?
  • What is the national response?
  • What are the basic components of security?
  • What are the attack models and countermeasures?

Principles of Cryptography

  • What is cryptography?
  • What are the key technologies?
  • What problems can it solve?

Online Social Networks: Threats and Solutions

  • What are the threats?
    ·How to defend?
    ·What are the privacy issues?
    ·How to perform forensic investigation?

Activities:

  • Attack and defense demonstrations
  • Case studies
  • Hands-on experiments
  • Invited talks
  • Teacher presentations
  • Videos
Apply Now
  1. Complete Application Process: Ensure you have completed all required forms and attached any necessary documents as outlined in the application instructions.
  2. Attendance Requirement: Applicants must commit to attending the entire duration of the camp, which spans 5 days. Only those who can attend all days of the camp will be considered for acceptance.
  3. Evaluation and Notification:
    • Once the application evaluation process is completed, acceptance notifications will be sent to successful applicants via email.
    • Please ensure the email address provided during registration is accurate and regularly monitored to receive important updates regarding your application status.

Thank you for your attention to these instructions. We look forward to receiving your completed application and potentially welcoming you to the GenCyber Summer Camp. For any inquiries or assistance, please contact [email protected].

Apply to the GenCyber Student Camp in Cybersecurity

 

The letters NSF over a globe, wrapped in a circle of gold spokes. The words National Security Agency in a circle around an image of an eagle and a flag The word GenCyber across a globe with gold graphic lines

School of Engineering and Computer Science

Engineering Center, Room 301
115 Library Drive
Rochester , MI 48309-447
(location map)
Dean's Office (248) 370-2217
Academic Advising (248) 370-2201