The meeting was attended by several students and a summary of activities follows:

• The current president, Carrie Estes, gave the mark to the upcoming president, Collin Donaldson.
• Collin presented a talk focusing on Deep Web.
• Jabari Rodrigues-Jackson was elected as the new vice president for academic year 2013–2014.
• Waleed Farag encouraged all students to actively participate in the club activities and help the board members.
• Refreshments and pizza were available.

The Wednesday IA Club meeting was attended by several students. The meeting featured two main activities:

• Participants played a security related game called dox3d! that emphasizes the basics of computer and network security.
• Dr. Farag discussed with the students the current Cyber Catch SFS Scholarships and informed the students about various provisions and eligibility criteria. Students were encouraged to apply for this scholarship. Details of the scholarship can be found on the Information Assurance Institute Site at Cyber Catch SFS Scholarships.

Instructions for submitting essays and the essay evaluation criteria are outlined below. Please read them carefully.

Statement of Purpose:

According to the National Security Strategy, homeland security is an integral part of national security. Homeland security traces its roots to traditional and historic functions of government and society, such as civil defense, emergency response, law enforcement, customs, border patrol, and immigration. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the foundation of the Department of Homeland Security, these functions took on new organization and urgency. Homeland security strives to adapt these traditional functions to confront terrorism and disasters along with new threats and evolving hazards—such as proliferation, cyber, transnational crime, violent extremism, stability and security of the space environment, economics, education, climate changes, energy, water and food security, and health threats. Homeland security is not simply about government action alone. It is about the collective strength of the entire country working to create and sustain a homeland that is safe and secure, and in which American interests, aspirations, and way of life can thrive.

This year’s essay question:

What is a dangerous idea you have about homeland security, and why is it dangerous?

Submission Guidelines:

Your response may be general, or focus on a specific aspect (organizational, policy, strategy, practice, technological innovation, social impact, etc.) or discipline/field, (emergency management, public health, law enforcement, critical infrastructure, intelligence, etc.). Essays may be written from any perspective; e.g., government, private sector, cultural, local community, or citizen.

Who may enter:

The competition is open to everyone with an interest in homeland defense and security. Current Center for Homeland Defense and Security faculty, staff, students, and graduates (of the Master’s or Executive Leaders Programs) are not eligible.

Competition Guidelines:

The essay should be no more than five pages, single spaced, in 12-point type and in Word or PDF format. Do not include your name on the essay. Essays must be original and not published elsewhere. Submission implies permission to publish.

Timeline:

The deadline for submission has been extended to February 15, 2013. Finalists will be announced no later than May 31, 2013.

Criteria:

Essays will be evaluated on relevance to the question, innovation of the idea(s), strength of the argument, and quality of the writing.

Award:

The winner will receive a $500 cash award. Additionally, the winning and four top finalist essays will be considered for publication by Homeland Security Affairs, the online journal published by the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for the Homeland Defense and Security.

Institute for Information Assurance 

The proposed discussion topics were the recent advancements in the computer science field both at the theory and applications levels. Both Waleed Farag, the club faculty advisor, and Carrie Estes, the club president, encourage more students attendance at our biweekly meetings.

Institute for Information Assurance 

Several students have attended the Wednesday IA Club meeting. Two main topics were discussed:

• The basics of Digital Forensics.
• The upcoming Information Assurance Day Event on November 1, 2012. For more information about this event, please check Information Assurance Day website.

DoD IA Scholarship Program Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The IUP Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education is pleased to offer current and prospective students the opportunity to apply for scholarships through the US Department of Defense (DoD) Information Assurance Scholarship Program.

The Department of Defense is offering full scholarships for students, civilians, and non-active-duty military personnel who pursue fields of study related to information assurance. Students selected for the program will receive scholarships that include tuition, books, fees, and a stipend. This requires the student to agree to serve one year of service to DoD upon graduation for each year of scholarship received. During breaks in academic study, information assurance scholars will receive hands-on experience in information security internships. In return, scholars must agree to some restrictions and obligations regarding curriculum, GPA, and post-program employment. If all conditions are met, information assurance scholars will receive full-time conditional/permanent positions with the DoD upon program completion. The amount is $14,000 for undergraduate students.

Download Student Application Package (2011–2012)

• Scholarship Announcement
• Student Application

Eligibility Requirements

• Eighteen years of age or older and a US citizen at time of application.
• Currently enrolled at, or accepted for enrollment at, a national Center of Academic Excellence (CAE); or enrolled at an institution selected by a CAE as a collaborative partner for these purposed.
• Pursuing a course of study and/or having a declared major with an IA concentration in one of the scientific, technical, or managerial disciplines related to computer and network security.
• For undergraduate applicants, must have at least the first two years of an undergraduate degree program by August of the calendar year in which scholarship funding will commence, and be eligible to begin either the third or fourth year of the degree. GPA must be at least a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (or an analogous rank based on a comparable scale).
• For graduate applicants, must be eligible to begin the first or second year of a master’s degree program, pursue doctoral studies, or complete a graduate IA certificate program. GPA must be at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or an analogous rank based on a comparable scale).
• Recommended by the CAE for the scholarship program.
• Able to obtain a security clearance.

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please contact Dr. Shumba at (724) 357-3166 (shumba@iup.edu). Applications should not be submitted directly to the Department of Defense. Please submit your application to Dr. Shumba by January 31, 2012.

Interested students should e-mail Dr. Shumba at shumba@iup.edu or see the secretary in Stright Hall, Room 319.