This CISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award funds the renewal of an outstanding REU site at New York Institute of Technology. The site will recruit undergraduates from across the nation to participate in research related to securing mobile devices such as smart phones and wireless networks. Securing mobile devices and networks is an area of current interest that is well-suited to undergraduate research productivity. The students will use state-of-the-art research environments to address the challenges of securing mobile devices by creating new methods for authenticating users of mobile devices, efficient cryptographic protocols that preserve privacy of data, detecting malware, and designing secure communication protocols using both hardware and software approaches. This site should help develop a group of computing professionals who can design the systems of the future that impact society and enhance our quality of life. The REU experience provides students with the foundations and inspiration to pursue computing careers and research in areas that are rapidly evolving and are of importance to the nation.
The project is led by an outstanding team offering modern facilities and professional mentors to guide undergraduates in explorations of problems related to mobile security. Students will learn how to use current tools and techniques to solve those problems that have direct impact on people. The team will use proven strategies to recruit undergraduate students from groups traditionally under-represented in computer science. The students will participate in research and professional development activities all designed to achieve the goals of retaining and graduating undergraduate students in computer science and engineering, recruiting students from groups traditionally under-represented in computing fields, and increasing recruitment of students into graduate programs.
