REU Site: Research Experiences in Cybersecurity Algorithms

这笔资金更新了蒙大拿州立大学的本科生研究经验（REU）网站。 一个经验丰富的教师导师团队将指导本科生进行暑期研究项目，重点是网络安全算法，特别是防御网络攻击的算法。 他们将使用一个称为软件工厂的独特环境，帮助他们在开发和测试算法时应用可靠的软件工程和开发技术。 该网站将在每年夏季招募10名学生，重点关注非研究密集型机构的学生以及传统上在计算领域代表性不足的群体的学生。 学生们还将参加其他专业发展，这将有助于他们准备研究生学习和其他职业的计算。 该项目的智力价值在于对网络安全算法的智力关注和指导研究的强大教师团队以及学生将使用的最先进的设施。 研究重点是网络安全攻击的重要领域，特别是：源代码分析和软件弱点和漏洞检测，通过机器学习检测攻击模式，异常检测和基于区块链的威胁报告。 该网站的目标是让本科生接触到基于现代软件工程环境的真实世界和创新的网络安全算法研究，鼓励更多的本科生继续他们的学术生涯，并寻求计算机科学和相关学科的研究生学位，发展研究技能，提高沟通和协作技能，并通过软件工厂环境促进可演示原型软件开发方面的合作和创业精神。 该网站有潜力为网络安全研究的知识体系做出贡献，并帮助发展未来的网络安全劳动力，这是美国迫切需要的领域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This funding renews a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Montana State University. A team of experienced faculty mentors will guide undergraduate students in summer research projects focused on cybersecurity algorithms, particularly algorithms to defend against cyber-attacks. They will use a unique environment called the Software Factory that helps them apply sound software engineering and development techniques as they develop and test their algorithms. The site will recruit a cohort of 10 students each summer with a focus on students from non-research-intensive institutions as well as students from groups traditionally under-represented in the computing fields. The students will also participate in other professional development that will help prepare them for graduate studies and other careers in computing. The intellectual merit of this project lies in the intellectual focus on cybersecurity algorithms and the strong faculty group guiding the research as well as the state-of-the art facilities the students will use. The research focuses on the important area of cybersecurity attacks, in particular: source code analysis and detection of software weaknesses and vulnerabilities, attack pattern detection through machine learning, anomaly detection, and blockchain based reporting of threats. The objectives of the site are to expose undergraduate students to real-world and innovative cybersecurity algorithms research grounded in modern software engineering environments, to encourage more undergraduates to continue their academic careers and seek graduate degrees in computer science and related disciplines, to develop research skills and improve communication and collaborative skills, and to foster collaboration and entrepreneurship in the development of demonstrable prototype software through the Software Factory environment. This site has the potential to contribute to the body of knowledge of cybersecurity research and to help develop the future cybersecurity workforce, an area of critical need within the United States.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.