CCoE Webinar Series: Technology Transfer to Practice: The NSF TTP Ecosystem
Channel: Trusted CI
Date: 22/05/2017

Originally recorded May 22nd 2017

The U.S. National Science Foundation Transition To Practice (TTP) program is critical to the successful deployment and realization of value for NSF-funded cybersecurity research. Transition to Practice has been named a priority by the National Science and Technology Council’s subcommittee on Network and Information Technology Research Development (NITRD), since 2011, as the participating agencies recognize the need to see funded research adopted by the operational community and ultimately make a positive impact on society. Currently, a chasm exists between the output of the academic cybersecurity research community, and the operational Information Technology (IT) community, which acquires system prototypes that often result from later stage academic research components and implements them in operational environments as either proofs of concept or in operations. The goal of the NSF TTP program is to enable NSF-funded cybersecurity research to cross this chasm and become an operationalized asset to add value in our nation’s cybersecurity efforts. 

   * Internet2 Collaborative Innovation Community (CINC UP): Cybersecurity Research Transition to Practice Acceleration Opportunities

Internet2 is leading an NSF funded EAGER project to benefit members as together we develop a comprehensive TTP program with the goal of enabling as many NSF cybersecurity grants as possible to transition to practice in an accelerated fashion. 

Please join us to discuss how together the Internet2 community of NSF funded cybersecurity researchers, IT operations, and institutions including universities, labs, industry members and affiliates can work together to enable the application of cybersecurity research.

   * NSF's SATC TTP Ecosystem 

NSF is offering substantial resources to support TTP efforts, including TTP training for PIs, match-making services, mentoring services, a best-practices repository, and software development resources.

A key resource is the SaTC (Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace) TTP designation. PIs that have mature research results can apply for three year awards up to $500k or four year projects up to $1.2m exclusively to conduct TTP activities. 

In this presentation, we will present the case for TTP, identify the unique aspects of the TTP Designation in the SaTC Solicitation, and will describe elements of the anticipated TTP ecosystem. This talk is relevant for academics of all rank, to research scientists in government and academic laboratories, and industry members that are interested in harvesting NSF-funded cybersecurity research.

Emily Nichols is a market researcher and analyst, with more than 20 years' experience in IT services. She currently works as Innovation Program Manager at Internet2, a provider of collaborative environment for U.S. research and education organizations to solve common technology challenges. Nichols leads the development of the Chief Innovation Office's Collaborative Innovation Program, including IoT, End to End Trust & Security, and Distributed Big Data.

Dr. Alec Yasinsac is Professor and Dean in the School of Computing at the University of South Alabama. He has 30 years’ experience in computer software, application development, mainframe operating systems, and network engineering. Yasinsac was selected by the US Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) to head a team that produced the Threat Instance Risk Analyzer (TIRA) and is used to evaluate risk in support of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. He is a senior member of IEEE and ACM and is chair of the USACM Security Committee.