Call for Proposals

2026 NSF Cybersecurity Summit

October 27th - 29th ✶ Irvine, CA

http://trustedci.org/summit/

It is our pleasure to announce that the 2026 NSF Cybersecurity Summit is scheduled to take place the week of Oct 26th at The Beckman Center in Irvine, CA.

About the Summit

The NSF cyberinfrastructure ecosystem presents an aggregate of complex cybersecurity needs (e.g., scientific data and instruments, unique computational and storage resources, use of AI and automation, and complex collaborations). Going forward, research security will also bring new challenges to U.S. academic research institutions. This NSF Cybersecurity Summit community has a unique opportunity to develop information security practices tailored to these needs, as well as break new ground on efficient, effective ways to protect information assets while supporting science. The Summit brings together leaders in research cyberinfrastructure (CI), cybersecurity, and higher ed researchers to build a trusting, collaborative community that addresses the community’s core cybersecurity challenges.

Plenary Presentation (Due June 30)
Workshop or Training (Due June 30)
Birds of a Feather or Project-specific Meeting (Due June 30)
Poster (Due Oct 5)
TLP:AMBER or RED Talk (Due Oct 5)
About the Beckman Center

Proposing Content for the Summit

There are many ways to contribute to the Cybersecurity Summit. We welcome proposals for plenary presentations, workshops/training sessions, project meetings, birds of a feather (BoFs), and posters. More specific information on each format is available below. Multiple submissions are allowed but only one may be accepted to allow for a variety of speakers. First-time presenters are encouraged to submit a proposal!

We welcome your proposals relevant to a broad range of topics related to the operational cybersecurity of NSF cyberinfrastructure and programs. We encourage proposals that address topics impacting the NSF CI Community. These include, but are not limited to: 

  • Cybersecurity aspects of Research Security (Ex: The 14 NSF Critical Controls)

  • Security of AI use in research environments

    • Procurement, commercial tools, impacts on Controls, leverage in cybersecurity operations, etc.

  • Regulatory compliance

  • Securing cloud-based technologies

  • Network security and defense

  • HPC security

  • Digital forensics and incident response

  • Case studies and lessons learned

  • Zero-trust architecture implementation

Plenary Presentation

We encourage plenary topics that focus on NSF cyberinfrastructure operators’ unmet cybersecurity challenges, lessons learned, and/or significant successes. Plenary talks are limited to 25 minutes in length, including time for questions.

  • Plenary talks will be recorded and made available after the event.

  • All plenary presentations should be TLP:CLEAR - Information carries minimal or no foreseeable risk of misuse, in accordance with applicable rules and procedures for public release. Subject to standard copyright rules, TLP:CLEAR information may be distributed without restriction. 

    • We are accepting TLP:RED talks in a separate form (scroll down to submit a TLP: RED talk)

Submission deadline: Close of business on Tuesday, June 30th.

To propose a plenary talk, complete this form:
https://forms.gle/WTyoxtY4SH7RZpUE7

Notification of Acceptance: Wednesday, July 15th.

Workshop or Training Session

The Summit accepts proposals for workshops and training sessions, seeking to build communities of practice related to the NSF CyberInfrastructure. Examples include table-top exercises, log analysis, secure coding, focused discussions and activities around a relevant cybersecurity tool, and collaborative information sharing.

  • Workshops can be of varying length ranging from one hour to a half day (3 hours).

  • Workshops can be limited to a specific audience to provide confidentiality and should be clearly noted in the proposal submission.

Submission deadline: Close of business on Tuesday, June 30th.

To propose a workshop or training session, complete this form:
https://forms.gle/WTyoxtY4SH7RZpUE7 

Notification of Acceptance: Wednesday, July 15th.

Birds of a Feather or Project-Specific Meeting Proposals

Birds of a Feather (BoFs): Informal gatherings of like-minded individuals who wish to discuss a certain topic can be 1-2 hours in length. Proposers of BoF sessions should serve as discussion leaders to explore and address challenges for a specific topic.

Project-Specific Meetings: The Summit organizers recognize that the summit attracts many people who work remotely on projects with distributed staff (ACCESS, ESnet, OSG, Zeek, Jupyter). This presents an opportunity for people who work collectively on a shared project to meet in person. Requests will be reviewed and scheduled based on room availability. 

Submission deadline: Close of business on Tuesday, June 30th.

To propose a BoF or Project Specific Meeting, complete this form:
https://forms.gle/WTyoxtY4SH7RZpUE7 

Notification of Acceptance: Wednesday, July 15th.

Posters

The poster session is an opportunity to disseminate your work with Summit attendees, receive helpful feedback, and engage others who are interested in the same subject. Details on shipping posters will be provided upon acceptance.

Submission deadline:  Close of business on Wednesday, September 30th.

To propose a poster, complete this form:
https://forms.gle/kNFmAg7GLxWABjfMA 

Notification of Acceptance: Monday, October 5th.

TLP:AMBER or RED Talk

The purpose of these talks is to collectively enhance situational awareness and better understand the evolving threat landscape while also strengthening collaboration and trust in the NSF CI Community.

TLP:AMBER: Limited disclosure, restricted to participants’ organization and its clients (see CISA Terminology Definitions linked below).

When should it be used? Sources may use TLP:AMBER when information requires support to be effectively acted upon, yet carries risk to privacy, reputation, or operations if shared outside of the organizations involved. 

How should it be shared? Recipients may share TLP:AMBER information with members of their own organization and its clients on a need-to-know basis to protect their organization and its clients and prevent further harm.

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TLP:RED: Not for disclosure, restricted to participants only.

When should it be used? Sources may use TLP:RED when information cannot be effectively acted upon without significant risk for the privacy, reputation, or operations of the organizations involved. For the eyes and ears of individual recipients only, no further.

How should it be shared? Recipients may not share TLP:RED information with any parties outside of the specific exchange, meeting, or conversation in which it was originally disclosed. In the context of a meeting, for example, TLP:RED information is limited to those present at the meeting. In most circumstances, TLP:RED should be exchanged verbally or in person.

Source: CISA Descriptions

Submission deadline: Close of business on Wednesday, September 30th.

To propose a TLP:RED Talk, complete this form:
https://forms.gle/ja59WyMg6FFXJgq18 

Notification of Acceptance: Monday, October 5th.

About the Beckman Center

As a scientist and a businessman, Dr. Arnold Beckman envisioned a West Coast center where experts could discuss matters of science and technology, comparable to the headquarters of the NAS and the NAE in Washington, DC. A grant from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, and The Irvine Company's donation of seven acres on the crest of a hill adjacent to the campus of the University of California, Irvine made this vision a reality. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering opened its doors in April, 1988, and the Beckman Center continues to be operated by the academies as their West Coast location for both program activity and conferences. [Source]