REU Site: REU Site on Security and Privacy for Mobile Sensing and the Internet of Things

Columbus State University, Columbus GA

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award renews a REU site focused on security for mobile sensing and the Internet of Things (IoT) at Columbus State University. The project will provide 10 undergraduates per summer the opportunity to work with faculty mentors in state-of-the-art research labs on projects in the important area of security and privacy of mobile sensing and IoT systems. Mobile computing and IoT systems and their associated sensing capabilities and applications are pervasive in our society in areas such as home automation, telecommunications, healthcare, public infrastructure, and national defense. Security of these devices and the data that is collected through related applications is an important concern for all citizens. This site will give students an opportunity to explore and delve deeply into an area of computing that is relevant and timely. The students will also participate in a number of professional development activities and field trips that will prepare them for future careers as computing professionals in the field of cybersecurity, an area of critical need for the workforce of the future. The intellectual merit of this project is the potential for the development of new methods, algorithms, and tools to protect the privacy of users in mobile sensing systems and IoT environments. The project is led by an outstanding group of faculty mentors to guide undergraduates in explorations of problems related to security and mobile sensing. The goals of this site are to: increase the number of students from undergraduate institutions with limited access to research opportunities who participate in high quality, faculty-mentored research experiences; to increase the cybersecurity and computer science workforce who protect the U. S. cyberspace through the retention and graduation of the REU students; to develop participants’ skills to conduct research in computer science and cybersecurity; and to implement best-practices during the summer program and throughout the year to support the students’ research and career goals. The site will particularly seek to recruit students from groups under-represented in computing fields. The research projects developed by this site will help improve mobile sensing and IoT systems by collecting and analyzing data and developing new algorithms and protocols to secure these systems in areas related to facial privacy, mobile malware, security and trust in IoT systems, and secure and efficient sensor data storage in distributed ledgers. 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.