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NSF awards $29 million in scholarships for cybersecurity training

Eight universities will receive the National Science Foundation funding over the next five years.

Bree Fowler Senior Writer
Bree Fowler writes about cybersecurity and digital privacy. Before joining CNET she reported for The Associated Press and Consumer Reports. A Michigan native, she's a long-suffering Detroit sports fan, world traveler, wannabe runner and champion baker of over-the-top birthday cakes and all-things sourdough.
Expertise cybersecurity, digital privacy, IoT, consumer tech, smartphones, wearables
Bree Fowler
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The National Science Foundation funding is intended to help boost the cybersecurity workforce. 

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The National Science Foundation will give more than $29 million to eight universities over the next five years to support cybersecurity education.

The NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program provides funding to colleges and universities for scholarships and other educational needs in an effort to boost the number of qualified cybersecurity professionals and help address the continued workforce shortage in the industry.

 "As cyber threats continue to evolve in complexity, so must our approaches to cybersecurity education and our workforce," NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in a statement. He added that the cybersecurity talent shortage remains a "critical issue" in the US, with businesses and government alike struggling to fill open jobs.

The schools receiving the funding include Oakland University, Fordham University, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, State University of New York at Binghamton, Georgia State University, University of Memphis, University of Nevada, Reno, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Those eight schools join the 82 universities that are already part of the CyberCorps program, representing 37 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico.