From Midshipmen to Cyber Pros: Training Minority Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp Students for Cybersecurity

Computing is not only a fundamental part of our daily lives – our national security depends on it. It is essential that members of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) be well-versed in computing techniques designed to combat cyber-attacks that continually improve in sophistication and frequency levels. Through computer science education, prospective military leaders are being taught the critical and analytical thinking skills necessary to address these threats. This paper outlines and discusses how underrepresented minority Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) midshipmen, with the majority having little-to-no programming skills or background, were taught the foundational aspects of computer science and exposed to specific cybersecurity concepts in a 15-week program. The program produced many insightful outcomes, one being the development of a tool that collected and analyzed publicly available social media data through the application of data mining algorithms and techniques. Additionally, interviews, which were conducted upon the completion of the program, documented notable findings on the program’s effectiveness and on key concepts for teaching computer science to minority beginners.