2026 Trusted CI Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications

 As cybersecurity becomes increasingly vital across the scientific community, cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity leaders has never been more important. Trusted CI is proud to announce the Trusted CI Scholars Program (formerly Trusted CI Student Program), designed to equip students with essential skills, insights, mentorship, and hands-on experiences in cybersecurity.

The Trusted CI Scholars Program goes beyond technical training. It is about building a collaborative and innovative community of emerging leaders. If you are a student passionate about cybersecurity—or know someone who is—we encourage you to apply and join us in shaping a safer, more secure future for science and beyond.

Why Trusted CI Scholars Matter

Through mentorship, applied learning, and sustained interaction with cyberinfrastructure practitioners and the broader NSF community, Scholars learn from the processes, tools, and knowledge that Trusted CI advances to support secure research. In doing so, the program extends Trusted CI’s impact into the next generation of the cybersecurity workforce.

Additionally, as Trusted CI begins addressing the needs of higher education institutions related to research security, cybersecurity requirements, and artificial intelligence, early and proactive student engagement with these topics lays important groundwork for developing the skills, awareness, and readiness they may need to secure the nation’s science and research enterprise.

Goals of the Program

The Trusted CI Scholars Program is committed to:

1. Providing Foundational Knowledge: Gain practical insights into cybersecurity through workshops, mentorship, and participation in the annual NSF Cybersecurity Summit.

2. Growing Leadership Skills: Strengthen communication, collaboration, integrity and adaptability.

3. Empowering Advocacy: Serve as cybersecurity ambassadors within your communities, sharing knowledge with peers and connecting them to Trusted CI for advanced support.

4. Building Long-Term Connections: Join a growing network of Trusted CI alumni, opening doors to coaching, networking, and career opportunities in the cybersecurity field.

Highlights for 2026

This year’s program includes exciting enhancements:

• Focused Workshops and Mentorship: Scholars will engage in tailored workshops and one-on-one mentorship with Trusted CI staff and subject-matter experts.

• Alumni Engagement: Past participants will continue to have access to resources and Summit reunion opportunities, fostering sustained learning and long-term relationships. Alumni are also encouraged to share their experiences through blog posts, presentations, and outreach activities to inspire future cybersecurity professionals.

• Streamlined Application Process: Applicants will submit a personal statement, professional bio sketches, and letters of support, enabling a more holistic evaluation.

Applications are now open on our submission website and close March 6. 

For more information on how to apply, visit Trusted CI’s website or reach out to scholars@trustedci.org.

Together, we’re preparing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders!

Trusted CI 2025 Summit Report Now Available

Last October, Trusted CI convened the 2025 NSF Cybersecurity Summit. This yearly event provides a forum for National Science Foundation (NSF) scientists, researchers, cybersecurity, and cyberinfrastructure (CI) professionals and stakeholders to share effective technical practices and brainstorm solutions to everyday challenges facing cybersecurity environment professionals. When the community comes together for the Summit, they collectively learn from each other.

The 2025 Summit was held in person in Boulder, CO, at the Center Green Campus at UCAR and NSF NCAR.

Interested in reading more takeaways from this year's Summit? Download the full Summit Report from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18484621

Trusted CI Mission Expanding to Address Cybersecurity for Research Security and AI

As we enter into 2026, Trusted CI leadership is excited to share some important updates regarding the expansion of our mission. We will begin addressing the needs of higher education institutions as they relate to research security and the cybersecurity requirements of NSPM-33. In addition, we will begin major new strategic initiatives focused on the secure use of AI in research. Both of these changes represent significant expansion of our mission and also the number of institutions that we will directly impact.

Our core mission continues to be supporting the security of research through cybersecurity excellence.  This includes our existing community of NSF Major Facilities and Mid-Scales, a community we remain committed to supporting. We will continue to host the annual NSF Cybersecurity Summit and will expand the program to include topics related to research security and AI. In addition, this year we’ll host our first Regional Summit in partnership with the University of Alabama.

In support of our expanded mission, we will begin partnering strategically with the SECURE Center and NAIRR-related projects. SECURE Center’s expertise in research security complements our cybersecurity expertise, and we will partner to provide comprehensive support to academic institutions who are navigating compliance with emerging NSPM-33 cybersecurity requirements. We will partner with NAIRR stakeholders to support their cybersecurity program needs. 

We have established our plans for 2026 inclusive of our new objectives. This includes pivoting our cohort model to new communities focused on research security in 2026.

We look forward to engaging with new community members in the coming year! Please send any comments or questions to info@trustedci.org. 

Trusted CI Completes Two Assessment Pilots with Cohort Graduates

The second half of 2025 was incredibly productive for the Trusted CI team. After a successful cohort in the first half of 2025, Trusted CI shifted efforts to piloting two new kinds of assessments: a Trusted CI Framework reassessment for organizations who previously participated in a Trusted CI Framework cohort program and a Cybertrack+ Assessment with NOIRLab focused on assessing the most important cybersecurity controls.  

Trusted CI Framework Reassessment Cohort Pilot

This pilot was a three month group engagement where previous cohort graduates had their cybersecurity programs re-assessed by Trusted CI, culminating in new ratings for each of the Framework’s 16 Musts and updated strategic recommendations. The Framework reassessment cohort was designed to be lighter-weight than the original Framework cohort, allowing organizations who are already well-versed in the Framework to quickly engage with Trusted CI, while preserving the opportunity to meet and learn from one’s peer organizations in a small-group environment. The pilot brought five NSF-sponsored organizations together for opportunities to share their experiences: Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC), Network for Advanced NMR (NAN), US National Science Foundation National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), National Solar Observatory (NSO), and Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).

CENIC reassessment presentation

Each organization had the opportunity to collaborate with other participants at the in-person Reassessment Workshop during the 2025 NSF Cybersecurity Summit in Boulder, CO. During the workshop, organizations presented on their mission and cybersecurity program, highlighted major changes from their previous assessment, as well as successes, challenges, and lessons learned. The group also held a hotwash on their experience with the reassessment cohort to help Trusted CI improve the program going forward. 

“Participating in the Framework reassessment cohort pilot was a worthwhile experience that not only allowed the OOI to reengage with and learn from our Trusted CI and Major Facility colleagues but also to reflect on and better quantify all of the hard work that has gone into improving the OOI cybersecurity program since it was assessed in 2022 as part of the inaugural Framework cohort.”   –Craig Risien, Ocean Observatories Initiative

Reassessment Workshop in Boulder, CO

Trusted CI Cybertrack+ Assessment Pilot with NOIRLab

Over last summer, Trusted CI kicked off a pilot assessment focused on assessing the most important cybersecurity controls. To do this, Trusted CI adopted the Cybertrack Assessment Methodology: This assessment methodology was developed through a partnership between Purdue University and Indiana University, with sponsorship from the Indiana Office of Technology. These assessments evaluate the most powerful cybersecurity fundamentals leveraging the Trusted CI Framework and CIS Controls, and provide actionable advice to improve an organization's cybersecurity posture. Cybertrack+ assessments expand this methodology to incorporate additional CIS Safeguards that are most important for operational technology (OT).  In future assessments, Trusted CI plans to tailor the methodology to include the NSF Critical Controls that subsequently appeared in the 2025 NSF Research Infrastructure Guide. 

Trusted CI engaged with NOIRLab to test the assessment on a research infrastructure organization. The Trusted CI Team worked with NOIRLab over a period of about two months, conducting written discovery and meeting for a fact finding session to clarify any outstanding details. At the end of this pilot, NOIRLab received an assessment report with prioritized recommendations to improve its controls implementation. 

"The results of the Trusted CI Cybertrack+ Assessment included 5 top recommendations that will have an immediate impact on our cybersecurity posture.  The rest of the report will help drive future projects that will further secure our research infrastructure.  This was much more painless than other assessments, with better, more focused recommendations." –Jerry Brower, NOIRLab

The success of both the reassessment cohort and the Cybertrack+ pilot was significantly amplified by strong collaboration among all participants and the Trusted CI team. Trusted CI extends its sincere thanks to all participants for their commitment, time, and helpful contributions throughout these pilot assessments. 

Trusted CI Director contributes to oral history project

Trusted CI's Director Sean Peisert recently sat down with members of the Charles Babbage Institute at the University of Minnesota and recorded an oral history for the "Mining a Usable Past" project. In this conversation, Peisert discusses his early interests at UCSD, his transition into computer science, and the mentors who influenced his career path.

He also shares valuable experiences from his time at the UCSD Supercomputer Center and outlines his current roles as a Research Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and an Adjunct Professor at UC Davis, highlighting the importance of collaboration in the field of computer security. 

Feel free to listen to his full interview on the University Digital Conservancy's website.

https://conservancy.umn.edu/items/e076d479-b49e-4fe0-971b-315d9865b174

Ships, Winches, and Cybersecurity: Trusted CI at RVTEC

RVTEC attendees, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

In November, members of Trusted CI attended the 2025 UNOLS RVTEC Meeting in La Jolla, CA. The RVTEC (Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee) Meeting, “brings together marine technicians, engineers, and vessel operators from the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF) and other agencies to share knowledge, advance best practices, and collaborate on technical solutions.”

The team contributed to many of the sessions on Cyber Monday, including a cybersecurity update from the Academic Research Fleet, the Secure by Design Operational Technology Vendor Procurement Matrix, and how-tos on developing a cyber risk assessment, an incident response plan, and cyber-incident drills. 

During Mike Simpson’s presentation reviewing the 2025 activities of ARFSEC (the team that runs the fleet-wide cybersecurity program), he announced a new Ship Site Visit template that Trusted CI developed to collect information during NSF inspections of the ARF’s vessels. The purpose of the template is to document details about a vessel’s cybersecurity and cyberinfrastructure (CI) in order to identify what gaps might need attention. The template has been field tested during visits to the RV Sikuliaq, the RV Atlantic Explorer, the RV Rachel Carson, and will be used in the inspection of the RV Neil Armstrong.

The template can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17807879

The 5-day meeting was packed with presentations, trainings, breakout sessions, and an impressive tour of the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility. 

Maritime vessels in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet are arguably the most complicated pieces of cyberinfrastructure in the NSF research infrastructure portfolio, and as such have complex and changing cybersecurity requirements. Trusted CI looks forward to continuing to support the ARF and the scientific progress that it enables.

Slide from SatNAG update displaying CI resources available to the fleet  

Helm control panel on the R/V Sally Ride

Test bench at the Shipboard Technical Support Calibration Lab

R/V Sally Ride

 

Leverage Trusted CI in your NSF Proposal

NSF recently announced solicitations for both the Integrated Data Systems & Services (IDSS) and NAIRR Operations programs.

“The Integrated Data Systems and Services (IDSS) program supports operations-level national-scale cyberinfrastructure systems and services that broadly advance and facilitate open, data-intensive and artificial intelligence-driven science and engineering research, innovation, and education.” Proposals to this solicitation (NSF 25-544) are due by December 4.

The NAIRR-OC solicitation seeks proposals to establish a community-based organization that will be responsible for the foundational visioning, coordination, operations, and development activities in support of an integrated national infrastructure for AI research and education. The resulting award would advance the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) vision for a public-private partnership to accelerate AI innovation and national competitiveness. Letters of intent for this solicitation (NSF 25-546) are due by December 15.

Trusted CI offers the following suggestions to engage us in these areas:

Identify and utilize Trusted CI resources. The Trusted CI Framework provides recommendations and templates for establishing and maintaining cybersecurity programs. Our online training materials and webinars cover many cybersecurity topics tailored to the NSF cyberinfrastructure community. Our annual cybersecurity summit provides a venue for training sessions for cybersecurity practitioners, technical leaders, and risk owners from within the NSF Major Facilities, Mid-Scales, and broader NSF research cyberinfrastructure community.

Indicate your intent to approach Trusted CI. We invite proposing NSF research cyberinfrastructure projects to indicate their intention to approach Trusted CI once they are funded. Trusted CI resources and staff are available to assist NSF projects with cybersecurity plans and training, via consultations and other Trusted CI activities. Proposers are free to include language showing an awareness of cybersecurity of a specific issue and showing you are aware of Trusted CI, how we can help, and that you plan to approach us if funded to collaborate on addressing the issue. You can do this unilaterally without any commitment from Trusted CI (and please be aware it does not commit Trusted CI, we do our best to help all NSF projects, but are subject to our own resource availability).  We ask that you let us know if you reference Trusted CI this way to help us plan ahead.

Possible language to include in a proposal:

Our proposal team recognizes [that cybersecurity is important for the effort we are undertaking | we have a cybersecurity challenge with regards to XXX]. To address this issue we plan to approach Trusted CI, the NSF Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (trustedci.org). Trusted CI engages projects such as the one we propose to help them address cybersecurity challenges and maintain the trustworthy nature of the computational science we support. We understand that engagements with Trusted CI are collaborative and have budgeted resources in our project to work with Trusted CI on our challenge.

Include Trusted CI as a funded partner in your proposal. You can include one or more of the institutions that compose Trusted CI (IU, LBNL, UIUC/NCSA, PSC, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Arizona State University, Sustainable Horizons Institute) via a subcontract on your proposal, a process that provides a firm commitment of our participation. Please contact us to discuss which partner would be most appropriate, whether the commitment would be exclusive for a given solicitation, and the level of effort that would be involved. In this case, we would provide a custom letter of collaboration indicating our agreement to the terms of the subcontract.

Including Trusted CI in other ways. The above are examples and we are open to discussions on other collaborations not listed. If you are preparing a proposal and would like additional assistance from Trusted CI, don't hesitate to contact us to discuss how Trusted CI can help.

More information can be found here: https://www.trustedci.org/includingtrustedci. Please reach out to us at info@trustedci.org with any questions.