The TORCH curriculum is a scripted, open-and-go tool developed for professors and industry leaders who want to effectively teach cybersecurity in hydropower. The TORCH curriculum doesn’t require long periods of study, and organizers do not have to develop their own lesson plans, nor stress over what to teach next—because everything is laid out, step by step.
The TORCH curriculum is organized into the following sections:
- The first section of the TORCH curriculum provides an overview of the structure of the document.
- The second section of the TORCH curriculum provides an overview, including the learning objectives and knowledge, skills, and tasks (KSTs). The remainder of the TORCH curriculum is separated into two training categories: Hydropower and Cybersecurity.
The Hydropower Training section consists of four modules:
- History of Hydropower
- Hydroelectric Dam Technology
- Physics of Hydropower
- Environmental and Regulatory Drivers.
The modules follow an interactive presentation style to dive into the context of each module subject area. At the end of each module within the presentation are quizzes to review the context. Activities within each module provide the participants an opportunity to apply the content learned in the presentation and quiz before moving on to the next module.
The Cybersecurity Training section consists of 10 modules:
- Introduction to Cybersecurity for Hydropower
- Cyber Incident Responder
- Cybersecurity Defensive Support
- Acquisition Security
- Cyber Analysis
- Cybersecurity Operations
- Forensic Analysis
- False Alarm
- Staff Knowledge
- Full Crisis Mode
Within each module, a table of the applicable KSTs are included to provide the learning outcomes of the module. A scenario is provided to integrate the KSTs into a simulated hydropower facility. A hands-on activity is included for applying the module KSTs.
Learning Objectives
TORCH learning objectives are designed to help participants build a strong foundational knowledge and develop basic skills for working in the hydropower industry.
The Hydropower learning objectives provide modules to enable participants to:
- analyze significant achievements in hydropower within historical context
- categorize and describe different types of hydropower systems
- explain the principles of energy conversion, and identify methods of converting energy
- demonstrate a commitment to environmental conservation through practical actions and informed decisions
- apply technological principles in the workforce at a hydropower facility
- analyze and predict the behavior of water flow in hydropower systems, the history of hydropower, types of hydropower structures, an introduction to operations, and related job roles.
The foundation provided by the Hydropower Training will allow transition into application of cybersecurity in the hydropower industry.
The Cybersecurity learning objectives are aligned with the KSTs defined in the table below and outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education framework. The alignment provides a consistent approach for current and future hydropower professionals seeking to learn about cybersecurity in the hydropower industry. The value of TORCH is the portability of the training from individual to organization, regardless of individual job function.
