REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site on Internet of Things (IoT)

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

This funding renews the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site on Internet of Things (IoT) at the University of Central Florida. The interdisciplinary field of IoT has the potential to revolutionize businesses, improve human lives, and benefit society. Smart cities may solve problems of rapid urban expansion; smart grids may increase the reliability of electrical power delivery; and smart healthcare systems/devices may improve the quality and longevity of human lives. The site will (1) broaden the participation of under-represented groups; (2) provide opportunities for early career undergraduates starting at the sophomore level; (3) train undergraduates from schools where opportunities for research in IoT are limited, and (4) contribute to the diversity of the future workforce. By directly interacting with faculty and graduate students as well as with other professionals through the industry panel and site visits, the students will have a better understanding of their future careers in academia or in industry. The students will conduct research in the applications of IoT in smart healthcare, smart cities, smart grids, smart sensors, and data analytics. Each interdisciplinary research project has two faculty mentors, of which at least one is a computer science faculty. The curriculum includes presentations about the field of IoT as well as the relevant tools of AI and machine learning, topic-specific research seminars by the participating faculty, workshops on professional development and research career opportunities. Each year, the program will conclude with a symposium and poster presentation to highlight the research achievements of the students. 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.