Opportunity Information: Apply for 21 512
Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) is a National Science Foundation grant program focused on improving the security of the cyberinfrastructure that supports modern scientific research. The core goal is to develop, deploy, and integrate practical cybersecurity solutions that protect science data, scientific workflows, and the computing and networking environments used by researchers. The program is built around the reality that todays science is highly collaborative, fast moving, and often distributed across institutions and platforms, which means security needs vary widely and must work in real research settings rather than only in controlled environments.
CICI invites proposals across three main program areas. The first area, Usable and Collaborative Security for Science (UCSS), supports both novel and applied research that makes security easier to adopt without slowing down collaboration. Projects in this track are expected to blend security and usability so that protections fit naturally into day to day scientific work. The emphasis is on enabling collaboration while still improving security outcomes, and on creating more holistic, integrated approaches that can span the broader scientific cyberinfrastructure ecosystem rather than solving a narrow, isolated problem.
The second area, Reference Scientific Security Datasets (RSSD), focuses on the creation of high value reference datasets that capture the unique properties of scientific workflows and workloads. These data artifacts are intended to support reproducible cybersecurity research in scientific contexts, where traditional enterprise security datasets may not reflect how scientific computing actually behaves. The aim is to help the community evaluate security methods more rigorously, compare approaches fairly, and ultimately protect the integrity of the scientific process by grounding security research in realistic, science relevant data.
The third area, Scientific Infrastructure Vulnerability Discovery (SIVD), targets proactive identification of vulnerabilities and weaknesses in scientific infrastructure. Projects in this track should develop and apply techniques to find security gaps before they are exploited, with attention to the kinds of systems commonly used in research environments. This could include tools, methods, or processes designed for the specialized hardware, software stacks, shared platforms, and distributed services that scientific communities rely on.
Administratively, this is a discretionary NSF grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.070). The funding opportunity number is 21 512, and the agency anticipated making around 15 awards. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a specific maximum was not provided in the summary field rather than implying no funding. The opportunity was created on Oct 09, 2020, with an original closing date of Jan 08, 2021. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement, meaning applicants should consult the detailed eligibility section for the exact types of organizations or entities that can apply.Apply for 21 512
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 09, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 08, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) - FAQs
What is the Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) program?
CICI is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program focused on improving the cybersecurity of the cyberinfrastructure that supports modern scientific research. It centers on developing, deploying, and integrating practical security solutions that protect science data, scientific workflows, and the computing and networking environments used by researchers.
What is the main goal of CICI?
The core goal is to create practical cybersecurity solutions that work in real scientific research settings, helping protect research data and operations across the computing and networking systems scientists rely on.
Why does CICI emphasize real-world research environments?
The program is built around the reality that modern science is highly collaborative, fast moving, and often distributed across institutions and platforms. Because security needs vary widely in these settings, CICI emphasizes solutions that work in real research workflows rather than only in controlled environments.
What kinds of outcomes does CICI aim to support?
Based on the program description, CICI aims to support outcomes such as practical tools, methods, processes, and integrated approaches that improve the security of scientific workflows, protect science data, and strengthen the computing and networking environments used in research.
What are the three main CICI program areas?
CICI invites proposals across three main areas: (1) Usable and Collaborative Security for Science (UCSS), (2) Reference Scientific Security Datasets (RSSD), and (3) Scientific Infrastructure Vulnerability Discovery (SIVD).
What is the Usable and Collaborative Security for Science (UCSS) area?
UCSS supports both novel and applied research that makes security easier to adopt without slowing down scientific collaboration. Projects are expected to blend security and usability so protections fit naturally into day-to-day scientific work while improving security outcomes.
What does CICI mean by "usable" security in UCSS?
In the UCSS context, "usable" security refers to security approaches that are easier for researchers to adopt and that fit naturally into everyday scientific workflows, instead of creating friction that could slow down or disrupt collaboration.
Does UCSS prioritize collaboration as well as security?
Yes. The UCSS area emphasizes enabling collaboration while still improving security outcomes, reflecting the collaborative nature of modern scientific research.
What kind of scope is expected for UCSS projects?
UCSS projects emphasize holistic, integrated approaches that can span the broader scientific cyberinfrastructure ecosystem, rather than solving only a narrow or isolated security problem.
What is the Reference Scientific Security Datasets (RSSD) area?
RSSD focuses on creating high-value reference datasets that capture unique properties of scientific workflows and workloads. These datasets are intended to support reproducible cybersecurity research in scientific contexts.
Why does CICI include a focus on reference security datasets for science (RSSD)?
Because traditional enterprise security datasets may not reflect how scientific computing behaves, RSSD aims to provide realistic, science-relevant datasets so the community can evaluate security methods more rigorously, compare approaches fairly, and ground cybersecurity research in realistic scientific workloads.
What is the purpose of RSSD datasets?
The described purpose is to enable reproducible cybersecurity research for scientific environments and to improve evaluation and comparison of security methods using realistic data artifacts that reflect scientific workflows.
How does RSSD relate to protecting the integrity of scientific research?
By grounding cybersecurity research in realistic, science-relevant data, RSSD is intended to help the community improve defenses in ways that better protect scientific workflows and data, supporting the integrity of the scientific process.
What is the Scientific Infrastructure Vulnerability Discovery (SIVD) area?
SIVD targets proactive identification of vulnerabilities and weaknesses in scientific infrastructure. It supports projects that develop and apply techniques to find security gaps before they are exploited, focusing on systems commonly used in research environments.
What kinds of systems are in scope for SIVD?
The description highlights scientific infrastructure such as specialized hardware, software stacks, shared platforms, and distributed services that scientific communities rely on.
What kinds of activities might fit within SIVD?
Based on the summary, SIVD may include developing tools, methods, or processes designed to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in research-focused systems and services before they are exploited.
Which federal agency administers CICI?
The program is run by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
What type of grant opportunity is this?
It is listed as a discretionary NSF grant opportunity in the science and technology research and development category.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The summary lists CFDA 47.070.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 21 512.
How many awards does NSF anticipate making under this opportunity?
The listing indicates NSF anticipated making around 15 awards.
Is there an award maximum (ceiling) listed?
The listing shows an award ceiling of 0. In the summary, this typically indicates that a specific maximum was not provided in the summary field rather than implying that no funding is available.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on Oct 09, 2020.
What was the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date is listed as Jan 08, 2021.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement. Applicants are expected to consult the detailed eligibility section in the full announcement to confirm which organizations or entities may apply.
Where can applicants find the exact eligibility requirements?
The summary indicates that eligibility details are clarified in the full announcement, so applicants should consult the detailed eligibility section there for the exact requirements.
Does the program focus only on theoretical cybersecurity research?
No. The summary emphasizes practical cybersecurity solutions that can be developed, deployed, and integrated into real scientific research environments, and it notes that proposals may include both novel and applied research depending on the program area.
How does CICI address the distributed nature of modern science?
CICI is designed with distributed and cross-institution collaboration in mind, emphasizing security approaches that accommodate widely varying needs across institutions and platforms and that can function effectively within real scientific workflows.
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