Ten university finalists have been selected for the 2018 National Cyber Analyst Challenge (NCAC), a competition that supports the best students currently pursuing cyber-related degrees in the top programs in the nation. Powered by NBCUniversal, Vanguard, Leidos, and Pfizer, the competition is administered annually by Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology.
 
The top 10 teams that were selected by an industry panel, passed Phase 1, and will advance to Phase 2 advanced cyber training to compete in Phase 3 finals (April 12-13) at Temple University in Philadelphia. The top 10 teams (in alphabetical order) are Brigham Young University, Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Pennsylvania State University, Syracuse University, University of Alabama at Huntsville, University of Maryland University College, University of New Haven, and Villanova University.

Each university will receive an award of $5,000 to $10,000 to support student, faculty, and curriculum development. The winning team to be selected by a panel of industry experts will receive $20,000.

Now in its third year, the pioneering interdisciplinary competition includes undergraduate and graduate students studying information systems, computer science, and engineering. It encourages the development of strategic skills involving analysis, threat identification, and mitigation planning.

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A cyber competition powered by Leidos and administered by Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) to fill the ever-growing need for cyber analysts has a winner. The team from Carnegie Mellon University was awarded $25,000 as the winner of the second National Cyber Analyst Challenge.

Developed to enhance the skills of the future workforce and inspire students to pursue careers in cyber security, the National Cyber Analyst Challenge focuses on developing strategic skills involving analysis and threat identification.

Our nation and our very way of life is under constant attack in cyberspace, said Chris Kearns, senior vice president of enterprise and cyber solutions at Leidos.

These talented students demonstrated amazing skill to connect the dots in this real-world scenario to defend our critical digital infrastructure.

A panel of industry experts scored the team from Carnegie Mellon University highest in technical proficiency, judgment, and communication. The three-month, multi-phased competition started with each team analyzing a cyber case. In the second phase, the teams received training from industry experts. The competition culminated in a real-time practical challenge with advanced cyber training held Oct. 27-28 at Leidos’ headquarters in Reston, Va.

Teams from 10 universities (in alphabetical order) – Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Penn State University, Syracuse University, Temple University, University of Maryland, University of South Florida, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Villanova University – made it past Phase I in September. Each team received a significant award of $6,000-$12,000 to support student, faculty, and curriculum development.

It was gratifying to work with Leidos to create a student- and faculty-centric opportunity, said Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, Executive Director of Temple’s IBIT, who worked with Laurel Miller, Director, to envision the competition. The challenge and conference brought together the nation’s top cyber educational programs in management information systems, computer science, and engineering. Interdisciplinary engagement is the most effective way to solve the nation’s cyber talent crisis because it can produce industry-relevant students and knowledge.

The NCAC conference also provided a unique opportunities for meaningful dialogue between academic, industry, research, and education experts, added Mandviwalla.

One outcome from the conference is the identification of a set of strategies to enhance cyber education and research through data centric collaboration between industry and academia.

Ten university finalists have been selected for the 2016 National Cyber Analyst Challenge (NCAC), a competition that supports top students currently pursuing cyber-related degrees in the nation’s leading programs. Powered by Leidos and administered by Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT), the competition will send 10 teams to Phase 2 advanced cyber training and the subsequent Phase 3 finals in Reston, Va., Oct. 27-28.

The finalists (in alphabetical order) are: Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Penn State University, Syracuse University, Temple University, University of Maryland University College, University of South Florida, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Villanova University. Each team will receive an award of $6,000 to $12,000 to support student, faculty, and curriculum development. The winning team will be selected by a panel of industry experts and will receive $25,000.

In its second year, the Cyber Analyst Challenge is a pioneering interdisciplinary competition that includes undergraduate and master’s students studying information systems, computer science, and engineering, and encourages the development of strategic skills involving analysis, threat identification, and mitigation planning.

“The demand for cyber professionals with analytical mindsets and strong fundamental skills grows every year and our customers need more students to enter the field and help defend our nation in cyber space,” said Chris Kearns, Leidos Senior Vice President of Enterprise IT Solutions.

The three-month, multi-phase competition aims to inspire today’s technologically literate students to pursue careers in cyber security. Participating universities field teams of four to five students, and a faculty advisor, to analyze a data set. The data set provides the context to a fictitious cyber incident. For Phase I each team submitted a C-level presentation to analyze the incident and provide recommendations.

New in 2016, the associated NCAC conference will engage faculty and industry experts on cyber risk analysis, threat identification, remediation, and communication. Presenters will discuss cyber research and curriculum challenges and opportunities including macroeconomic, policy, legal, and digital perspectives, as well as curriculum best practices – targeted toward schools interested in expanding their cyber programs. The conference will also include advanced cyber topics – tutorial style short presentations on leading edge cyber topics.

“It was gratifying to work with Leidos to create such a student- and faculty-centric opportunity,” said Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, IBIT’s Executive Director and the Chair of Management Information Systems at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. “We hope to increase the cyber talent pool and knowledge base across the nation’s top programs in Management Information Systems, Computer Science, and Engineering.”

Good news! NCAC is coming back in 2016. Stay tuned for news about the 2016 Cyber Analyst Challenge!

A cyber competition created by Lockheed Martin  and Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) to fill the ever-growing need for cyber analysts has a winner. A student team from Iowa State University was awarded $25,000 as the winner of the first National Cyber Analyst Challenge. 

The National Cyber Analyst Challenge was developed to enhance the skills of the future workforce and to inspire students to pursue careers in cyber security, with a focus on developing strategic skills involving analysis and threat identification.

Learn more about the results at: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iowa-state-university-wins-national-cyber-analyst-challenge-300175803.html

Learn more about the National Cyber Analyst Challenge: http://cyberanalystchallenge.org/

Eleven of the top universities in the nation have been selected to participate in Phase I of the National Cyber Analyst Challenge. The universities are listed below:

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Howard University
• Iowa State University
• Penn State University
• Temple University
• University of Maryland
• University of Alabama Huntsville
• University of Arizona
• University of Central Florida
• University of New Hampshire
• Western Washington University

Each university will field a team of 4-5 students and a faculty advisor to analyze a data set. This data set provides the context to a fictitious cyber incident. For Phase I each team will submit a presentation that analyzes the incident and provides recommendations.

Registration for the National Cyber Analyst Challenge is now open. The last date to register is December 15, 2017. The Challenge is open to teams of students enrolled in US universities. Each university must decide to participate and field a student team and a faculty advisor. To learn more, please view:

• Goals
• Phases
• Benefits
• Requirements for participation