The award establishes a new REU Site focused on the security of mobile devices at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). Undergraduates will gain hands-on research experiences in simulating the spread of malware on mobile devices, implementing cryptographic algorithms and authentication schemes studying topology control of wireless networks, geolocating smartphones, detecting physical attacks on a network of mobile devices, and developing privacy protected sensing methods using mobile devices. Students will work during the summer with a team of experienced faculty in labs on the NYIT campus. The project includes professional development activities for students and engagement with industry. This project is co-funded by the Office of Cyberinfrastructure.
Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of the project is focused on the research topic which is timely and of national concern. The students will work with a team of experienced researchers in state-of-the art labs on topics that are current and relevant to the cyber trust research community. These research experiences are aimed at building a strong background for undergraduates to become researchers and motivate them to pursue graduate studies in computer science and engineering.
Broader Impacts: This project will provide hands-on research experiences in a high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field. The project team is committed to recruiting women and underrepresented minority students for these research opportunities and to retaining them in academic and professional capacities related to STEM. Participants will collaborate with faculty, graduate students and fellow undergraduates in research teams comprised of individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Thus this project has the potential to produce new computer science graduate students and faculty members and to advance discovery and understanding while promoting learning.
