Oakland University Center for Cybersecurity

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.

June 2022 - GenCyber Teacher Summer Camp hosted.

February 2022 - OU received funding from NSF for cybersecurity CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Please submit your application materials by accessing this web page:  http://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
4. 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].

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: http://etap.nsf.gov/award/183/opportunity/185

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.

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

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. 

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.

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.

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)

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