Excelsior College SBT

Technology Newsletter
UAV Programs
Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles
(UAV) or drones
continue to be in
the news. Experts
say it could
generate as much
DJI Phantom 3 Professional
as $89 billion
dollars over the next decade, as high-tech jobs
are created in designing, manufacturing,
operating and maintaining fleets of drones
(Shaban, 2014). A drone economy could create
more than 70,000 jobs and have an $82 billion
dollar impact on the US economy by 2025
(Faught, 2015). The Federal Aviation Agency
(FAA) recently issued regulations for drone
owners to register their drones with the FAA.
With the drone industry ready to expand there
will be a need for trained operators and
maintenance personnel to meet the needs of a
growing industry.
Excelsior College is exploring an option to
offer a UAV concentration in the Associates in
Applied Science in Technology (AST) degree
program. The concentration design will provide
an educational path for UAV operators and
maintenance technicians. The concentration
would include courses in introduction to UAVs,
aviation concepts, digital electronics,
microprocessors, control systems, analog and
digital communications, sensors and actuators,
introduction to UAV programming, and electric
machines.
The concentration will be the foundation for
future bachelors and masters programs. A
bachelors engineering technology degree
program that provides education for
operations/maintenance, and design of UAVs,
and a Masters Degree program for management

of UAV technology would be developed. These

programs would be developed in collaboration
with the UAV industry and other higher
education institutions.
Cyber Security
The numbers of
cyber-attacks
are on the rise.
Cyber-attacks
dominate the
news and
impacts almost
every
individual.
Excelsior College is expanding their cyber
security programs to meet the market demands
for a skilled cyber security workforce. Excelsior
College recently hired two Cyber Security
Faculty Program Directors to lead the cyber
security initiatives. Dr. Andrew Hurd is
responsible for graduate curriculum
development and degree requirements for the
Master degrees in Cybersecurity. Prior to
joining Excelsior, Andrew worked at Hudson
Valley CC and SUNY Albany. He holds dual
Bachelors of Arts in Computer Science and
Mathematics, a Masters in the Science of
teaching mathematics, and a Ph.D. in
Information Sciences specialized in Information
Assurance and On-line Learning. Andrew won
the SUNY Chancellors award for Excellence in
Teaching in 2012 while working at HVCC.
Dr. Denise Pheils has been adjunct faculty and
assisted in curriculum development since 2012
and is responsible for the undergraduate
programs. Dr. Pheils also comes from a
community college background and has taught
through doctorate level. She holds many

certifications including the CISSP, C|CISO,

Security+, and PMP.
On-Line Reactor Plant Simulator Enhancing
Nuclear Engineering Technology Degree
Program

WSC Generic PWR Simulator

Reactor plant simulators are used in the nuclear
industry for initial and continuous training of
reactor operators and senior reactor operators.
The use of the generic pressurized water reactor
(GPWR) plant simulator is valuable for the
nuclear industry as it will ensure graduates of
the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering
Technology (BSNET) program will be bettertrained employees for the nuclear industry and
address forecasted workforce shortages in the
nuclear industry. By adopting simulation for
education, a proven teaching and training
method applied extensively in the plant
environment, work quality among entrants to
the nuclear power workforce will be improved,
elevating performance in the field.
The goal is to enhance
learning and application
by nuclear engineering
technology students
through realistic
interaction with reactor
plant systems utilizing GPWR simulator.
Nuclear engineering technology students study
to understand the science underlying the
operation of nuclear reactors, to become
proficient in the operation of reactors, and wellversed in the rules and regulations governing
them. The simulator is adapted for educational
purposes from a product used at utilities

worldwide for employee training. The use of

simulation will further enhance a high-quality
program developed to meet Engineering
Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC)
of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET) standards.
The versatility of the simulator permits
implementation in multiple courses. Five
courses will include the simulator: NUC 245,
Thermodynamics; NUC 250, Introduction to
Heat Transfer and Fluid Mechanics; NUC 330,
Reactor Core Fundamentals; NUC 350, Plant
Systems Overview; and, NUC 495, Project
Based Integrated Technology Assessment
(Capstone).
FPD Corner
Dr. Michael Johnson - BSNET
As part of the continuous improvement
initiatives and responding to industry needs the
School of Business and Technology has
introduced two new concentrations for the
Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering
Technology (BSNET) degree program. The two
concentrations in nuclear leadership and cyber
security were developed based on industry
feedback. The importance of leadership skills
is well recognized in the nuclear industry. Most
companies provide some form of leadership
training such as supervisor leadership
development programs. On the other hand,
professional skills such as leadership are either
neglected or slightly embedded in the
curriculum of a typical nuclear engineering and
engineering technology program.
The core curriculum in engineering and
engineering technology degree programs often
focus on technical, science, and mathematics
courses to ensure that the graduates attain the
required technical skills to be ready for the
workforce. Such approaches result in limited
integration between the technical and
professional skills at the curriculum level in
most of the engineering and engineering
technology degrees.

Courses offered in the nuclear leadership

concentration will focus on organizational
behavior, business leadership, leading change in
the nuclear industry, leadership communications
in the nuclear industry, and nuclear leadership.
Each course will be three credits for a total of 15
credits. The concentration credits will replace
the free elective component. Therefore the total
number of credits required for the nuclear
engineering technology program will remain the
same.
Todays cyber threats on the nations critical
infrastructure necessitate a need to develop a
skilled cyber security workforce. Cyber security
professionals in the nuclear industry require a
broad range of technical skills that include an
understanding of cyber security. However, few
college programs currently exist at the
baccalaureate level to assure that these
professionals have the unique skill sets and
knowledge domains needed to protect facilities
and our national security. Additionally, the
critical and practical nature of nuclear and
energy sectors calls for enhanced simulation
based learning to be developed.
Courses offered in the cyber security
concentration will focus on an overview of
computer security, governance, legal,
compliance, defense-in-depth, business
continuity, and investigation. Each course will
be 3 credits for a total of 15 credits. The
concentration credits will replace the free
elective component, therefore the total number
of credits required for the nuclear engineering
technology program will remain the same.
Dr. Shambhu Shastry - BSEET
A four-year program of study has been framed
for the BSEET degree program. It covers the
required core, concentration, and elective
courses taken in a structured way so that the
students would benefit the most from this
degree program. SBT advisors are now
encouraging the students to follow this program
of study. In essence, students are urged to
complete Physics I, Physics II, and math up to

Calculus II before taking ELEC 152 Circuit

Theory I and all higher BSEET courses. A
background in differential equations will be
required before taking Circuit Theory II and all
higher courses. Also, prior to taking the course
on microprocessors (ELEC 202) and higher
courses, students must acquire a sound
background in computer programming.
A hardware project has been now added to the
course on microcontrollers (ELEC 307). We are
now experimenting a hands-on capstone project
in the capstone course (ELEC 495) as well.
Moving forward, Electronics I and Electronics
II courses will be merged into one single course
on Analog Electronics and a 300-level course on
structured problem-solving techniques will be
added. These revisions and editions will
position the BSEET graduates well among their
peers in the industry.
Dr. Kuang-Yuan Huang BSIT
Three newly developed core courses are being
offered right now IT371 Web Design and
Development, IT375 Human-Computer
Interactive Design, and IT460 System
Administration. Students are encouraged to
contact SBT advisors for more information
about these courses and how they fit into
students study plan.
A four-year program of study has been
developed for the BSIT program, which works
as a guide to help students plan their studies.
In addition to IT courses, courses such as BUS
311 Organizational Behavior that are from
outside the BSIT curriculum are also included in
the program plan as recommendations for
students to develop inter-disciplinary skills.
Being aware of the importance of equipping
students with the ability and skills to solve realworld problems, BSIT has been working on
beefing up courses with real-world, hands-on
student activities. Examples of such courses

include IT360 Operating Systems, IT375

Human Computer-Interactive Design, and
IT390 Project Management. At the heart of this
initiative is the revision of the IT495 capstone
course. Real-world projects will be added to the
capstone course, and capstone students will not
only have the opportunity to reflect upon their
current IT-related achievements through the
development of the ITA (Integrated Technology
Assessment) portfolio, but they will also
develop individual or team-based IT project
throughout the course. Student demonstrations
of knowledge and skills in key IT areas as well
as key soft skills are required to succeed in the
capstone course.
Dr. Andrew Hurd Cyber Graduate
Four-year program plans for Cyber operations
are developed. The curriculum maps directly to
the knowledge units of the CAE-IA/CD
curriculum knowledge units. The program plan
will allow the student to complete their
bachelors degree in just over 3 years. The
degree is being developed in two stages; the first
stage is the existing cyber operations degree
with 9 credits of free elective and 1 - 3 credit
restricted elective. The second stage the 9
credits of free electives and the 1 - 3 credit
restricted elective will be removed to add 12
credits of track specific classes. The tracks will
be Cyber operations and Healthcare.

Assurance, Medical Data Security, and Policy

and Governance. Each track will be comprised
of 3 classes that are specific to the skillset an
individual would need to be successful in the
centralized area of work.
The existing undergraduate certificate has been
reworked to reflect similar changes from the
bachelors and masters degrees.
Dr. Denise Pheils Cyber Undergraduate
In cooperation with the initiatives at the
graduate level, the undergraduate level has some
exciting changes underway. Work evaluating
stackable credential placement within the
degrees (acceptance of industry certification in
lieu of a college course) is ongoing and new
course development is utilizing industry
certification as a compliment for the material
used in the course to better align with industry
standards, increase flexibility in degree paths,
and better prepare students for lifelong learning
in cybersecurity.

New classes are being developed, and existing

classes are being updated to prepare students for
industry certifications. If the student already
possesses these certifications, then they will be
evaluated for credit and applied to their degree
completion. The certifications that are being
prepared for are A+, Cloud essentials,
Security+, CEH, CHFI, Linux+, SSCP, ESCP,
and Cloud+.

Two exciting initiatives within the cybersecurity

programs are the development of cybersecurity
competition teams and efforts to bring more
women and minorities and other underserved
populations to STEM, and specifically,
cybersecurity. Teams have already participated
in the National Cyber League (NCL) in Fall
2015 (earning notable mention from the
Director of National CyberWatch) and the
CyberLympics in Spring 2016. We are looking
for students who would like the challenge and
experience of participating in extracurricular
activities such as these competitions. Not able to
participate but want to join the group to learn
and practice or share your knowledge in helping
the team prepare? Visit the Blackboard
Cybersecurity Club forum or email Dr. Pheils.

The Masters of Cybersecurity has been

reworked to incorporate a core set of classes and
a set of elective tracks. The elective tracks are
similar to the bachelors degree, Information

The initiative to make cybersecurity more

inclusive to underserved populations and to gain
the perspective of a diverse group of individuals
to improve problem solving and change from a

reactive position to a proactive force begins

with awareness. Helping women, minorities,
veterans, and other underserved populations
recognize the opportunities and need for their
perspective and contribution is a task Excelsior
College is ready to complete. We participated in
last years Women in Cybersecurity Conference
(WiCys) in Dallas, TX and in conjunction with
other projects, work to increase opportunities
for these students. The Fall 2015 NCL team had
a woman member who was also one of the
highest scorings within the competition.
Interested in how you can get involved or have
the expertise to share? Contact Dr. Pheils for
more information.
NCI
The National Cybersecurity Institute is a
wonderful resource for anyone taking
cybersecurity, IT, nuclear, or healthcare
programs, or anyone who is interested in
learning more and staying safer in todays
highly connected world.
The NCI journal, published electronically three
times a year is a great resource for the papers
and discussion topics students are assigned.
Students are encouraged to submit articles for
publication in areas where they have conducted
research or are expert due to work experience.
NCI offers free training in the form of live
webcasts and recorded sessions on a variety of
interesting topics.
Do you hold certifications or wish to add
desired industry certifications to your resume to
help you shine amongst other candidates for a
cybersecurity career? Consider joining the NCI
professional training staff or check out the
monthly offerings listed on the NCI website.
NCI continues to offer professional
cybersecurity training every month that helps
individuals increase or enhance current
cybersecurity skills or prepare for a new career
through preparation for certification. NCI

cybersecurity training prepares individuals for

industry-recognized certifications through
highly practical courses with qualified
instructors who are leaders in field. NCI
currently offers certification preparation courses
for:
(ISC)2 Certified Information System
Security Professional (CISSP)
(ISC)2 Healthcare Information Security
and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP)
(ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security
Professional (CCSP)
CompTIA Security+
EC-Council Certified Chief Information
Security Officer (C|CISO)
NCI is also offering additional cybersecurity
training for Small Businesses and Nonprofits,
C-Suite executives and Board Level members,
Cybersecurity Awareness, Medical Intelligence
Awareness, and Open Source Intelligence.
Information on ALL our training courses can be
found at:
www.NationalCybersecurityInstitute.org/trainin
g.
References
Shaban, B. (February, 2014). Drones degrees:
Universities train students for future of
flight, CBS News. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dronedegrees-universities-train-students-forhigh-tech-future-of-flight/
Faught, A. (Spring, 2015). In the air.
Rensselaer, pp. 34-39. Retrieved from
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/rpi/2
015spring/#/36