REU Site: Undergraduate Computer Research (UnCoRe) in Cyber Security

Oakland University, Rochester MI

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award renews an exemplary REU site at Oakland University. Each summer, undergraduate students from across the nation will work on challenging research problems related to cybersecurity, an area of national priority for our nation. The site includes a strong research component combined with professional development opportunities for the participating undergraduate students. The team will continue to use successful strategies employed in past REU Sites to recruit undergraduate students from groups traditionally under-represented in computer science. A particular focus will be on recruiting women and students from institutions where there are limited research opportunities. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the development of a diverse scientific workforce with expertise in areas critical to national security in the evolving global society of the future. This project is led by an outstanding team offering research experiences in topics that are current and of national interest. Students will learn how to use tools and techniques to solve problems that are timely and of relevance to the field of computer science as well as to our nation. The students are immersed into a research environment with all of its facets: participating actively in shaping a research project and in defining the solution; communicating to peers and other audiences about the research and their findings; visiting research laboratories and attending scientific and technical presentations; and forming collegial relationships with research teams that include faculty, graduate students, and other scientific researchers. The resulting research is often presented at professional conferences and included in technical publications thus contributing to the body of research critical to sustaining secure and trustworthy cyberspace. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.