Blair Taylor and Paige Zaleppa
Department of Computer and Information Sciences
Towson University
Towson, Maryland
12 noon–1pm
Friday, September 6, 2024
Remotely via WebEx: https://umbc.webex.com/meet/sherman
Abstract:
CLARK (https://clark.center/home) is a digital repository aimed at advancing cybersecurity education by delivering high-
quality curriculum resources to educators throughout the United States. We will explore the design science methodology
that guided its development, emphasizing how these principles maintain the repository’s usability and relevance for users.
Additionally, the presentation will address the integration of artificial intelligence into CLARK and how its extensive
dataset of curriculum content has facilitated this process. Attendees will learn how CLARK meets the changing demands
of cybersecurity education and contributes to shaping the next generation of cyber professionals.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Blair Taylor (btaylor@towson.edu) is the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary and Innovation Cybersecurity
(Cyber4All) and a Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University. She is a
national expert in cybersecurity education and curriculum development. She worked with NSA’s College of Cyber as a
subject matter expert on long-term strategies to increase the pipeline of qualified students and build the nations’ cyber
workforce.
Paige Zaleppa (pzaleppa@towson.edu) is a Ph.D student in Information Technology at Towson University, where she is
studying the intersection of cybersecurity education and artificial intelligence. She has led the development of the CLARK
project since late 2019 and has been an adjunct faculty member at Towson University since 2021. She is passionate about
connecting educators and students with educational resources that can be utilized to create the next generation of cyber
heroes.
Host:
Alan T. Sherman, sherman@umbc.edu
Support for this event was provided in part by the National Science Foundation under SFS grant DGE-1753681.
The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1pm. All meetings are open to the public.