This CISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award funds a new REU site focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) at the University of Central Florida. The REU site will provide 10 undergraduates per summer the opportunity to work with faculty mentors in state-of-the-art research labs on projects in the rapidly emerging area of IoT. The Internet of Things is a new are of research characterized by tight integration between the physical components, software, wireless networking as well as the social context in which the devices operate. The University of Central Florida has made significant investments in two centers, one institute, and a research cluster to explore research applications related to the IoT and cybersecurity. In addition to conducting research the students will participate in other professional development activities such as industry field trips, professional ethics seminars, speakers and career guidance, and graduate school preparation. An external evaluator will measure the success of the site and the impact on the students. The culminating event of the summer will be a symposium where the students present their research results in a professional setting.
The is project is led by an outstanding team offering state-of-the art facilities and professional mentors to guide undergraduates in explorations of problems related to the Internet of Things. The goal of the site is to use the fast-moving IoT field to excite undergraduates and to provide research experiences to students who might not otherwise have opportunities for research experiences at their own institutions. The IoT provides the basis for new consumer products such as smart phones, health and fitness tracking devices, accident avoidance technologies for vehicles, and home automation. These are all areas which should appeal to students and actively engage them in projects that are meaningful to them and relevant to all citizens. 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.
