This funding renews a successful CISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at the University of Texas at Dallas. This site focuses on Software Engineering research related to Software Safety. Students will evaluate the strengths and weakness of existing methodologies and current practices for safety assurance, as well as investigating issues such as how the introduction of software safety requirements may affect the software lifecycle and how software processes, methods and tool support should be adjusted. In addition to research, students will take field trips to industrial partners and attend mentoring workshops on technical writing and oral presentation.
This REU site will allow students, especially those from underrepresented groups or universities with limited research opportunities, to experience cutting-edge research in software safety --- critical to the prevention of catastrophic accidents and safe operation of software-dependent systems. It will also encourage these students to continue into graduate programs and careers in science and technology research. Students will gain proficiency in a broadly applicable skill set including oral and written communication, research methods, critical thinking, and problem solving.
