Overview

Falcon Aerolab Cyber Workshops are opportunities for students to explore various focus areas within the wide discipline of “Cyber”.  Each focus area allows students with common interests to work in groups toward their shared goals.  

Common to all focus areas is the opportunity to practice problem solving, iterative design, and collaborative learning.  Cyber security best practices are critical throughout all engineering disciplines.  As such, applicable concepts are presented throughout all areas and students are presented with the opportunity to gain an understanding of how important it is to infuse cyber security best practices throughout the engineering process.  

student will walk away with:

• An understanding of how smaller components combine into one complex, technological solution

• An understanding of multiple disciplines and how they interrelate and work together (hardware and software)

• Confidence that they can solve any technological challenge

• An appreciation of the value of taking a risk, trying, failing, evaluating, learning, and growing!

Cyber Fundementals

This course is intended to help students become more ‘cyber literate’ than the average end user.  The format is relaxed and specific topics covered are based on current desires of students to learn.  New and returning students will benefit from the discussions of general technology topics (with ever present cyber security emphasis) to gain a better understanding of how computer technology works “under the covers of the user interface.”  

Hands-on activities are emphasized with lectures being less than half of the class time.  Opportunities to attend industry conferences and events are part of the ‘immersive’ experience of the course.  Students are not required to do outside homework to participate and no grades are issued.

Topics that are covered during the year include:

• Cyber Security concepts and vocabulary

• Linux OS usage and general Operating System fundamentals 

• Networking fundamentals

• Software development principles

• Cryptography concepts and vocabulary

Cyber - Practical Programming

This course is to help those students who desire to establish or advance their understanding of programming and software development.  

Primary objectives are for students to:

• Gain an understanding of what is possible in software

• Demonstrate how to decompose complex problems into manageable parts

• Understand and apply computer science concepts (data representation, structures, flow control, object oriented programming, etc)

• Learn the syntax required to make it all work.

Depending on the number of students who choose this course, students will likely be divided into two or three groups with similar skills and experience to ensure all are challenged to extend their knowledge and skills.  Basic and intermediate level students will be working with the Python programming language.  Advanced students can be supported in whatever programming languages they are comfortable with.

Cyber- Security Certifications/ Competition

This class will focus on cybersecurity topics.  Presentations will run through the concepts required for basic entry-level certifications (ISC2 Certified in CyberSecurity, CompTIA Security+, etc).  IF students are committed to preparing for certification exams, support will be provided to aid in their learning.

In addition, if enough students are interested, Falcon Aerolab is willing to sponsor a Cyberpatriot team (https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/) pulling from students in the class section.  If this occurs, coaching and mentoring will be provided to help the team learn and compete effectively.  Note that competition will likely require some outside of class time to prepare and possibly compete.  Primary plan is to compete (done remotely) during the class period, but those days may require a longer meeting time as the competitions run for 4 consecutive hours.

Utilizing a “study group” format, students will work together to examine and explore the required topics.  Class activities will be provided to help bring the theoretical knowledge into practice. 

Prerequisites:

• General understanding of security concepts and good understanding of computer systems, networking, etc.  Can be satisfied by prior participation in FA Cyber Literacy and instructor discussion/evaluation.