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A team of Computer Science Scientists from ������, USC, and CU Denver has received a 3-year 1.13M National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to develop innovative resources that integrate computer systems, data science, and cybersecurity, helping train the next generation of professionals to secure large-scale infrastructures.

Dr. Hailu Xu, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science at California State University, Long Beach, is researching the latest security threats in complex computer systems, particularly in scalable and distributed big data system, to develop new educational resources that prepare students to secure large-scale computing systems.

“I’m very thankful for the support from the department, the college, and Office of Research & Economic Development.” Xu said. “This project will create new opportunities for students and help advance the college’s work in systems and cybersecurity education.”

The project addresses a growing shortage of cybersecurity professionals worldwide. While many cybersecurity programs focus on foundational skills, fewer provide hands-on experience with the complex systems and large-scale data environments that modern cybersecurity operations rely on.

Xu’s project will develop hands-on learning modules that integrate systems, data science and cybersecurity. “This project will give students hands-on experience with the systems and data that power modern cybersecurity operations,” Xu said. The materials will be hosted on the NSF-funded SPHERE research infrastructure, allowing students to experiment with realistic system environments and analyze cybersecurity data generated by large computing systems.

“Our goal is to train students to think about cybersecurity from a systems perspective,” Xu said. “Today’s security challenges require understanding large-scale systems and the data they generate.”

Xu is collaborating on the project with USC and CU Denver. The team will integrate the new materials into their research teams and make them freely available to educators and students nationwide through the SPHERE platform.