REU Site: Cybersecurity Research of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

该基金在安柏瑞德航空大学（ERAU）设立了本科生研究经验（REU）站点。每年夏天，10名积极性很高的本科生将进行为期10周的无人机（UAV）网络安全研究项目，辅以专业发展活动，为他们未来的网络安全职业和研究生院做好准备。学生将研究现有的无人机网络威胁和缓解策略，并探索保护无人机系统的新技术和算法。REU项目将专注于为本科生提供无与伦比的机会，特别是那些来自代表性不足和少数群体以及资源有限的机构的学生，让他们参与无人机的现实世界网络安全研究。通过小组合作、高质量的指导实践，REU培训不仅有助于提高无人机在个人和商业应用中的安全性，还将在REU参与者之间建立研究信心。该项目的总体目标是让本科生沉浸在网络安全领域的研究密集型训练中，并通过实践项目活动鼓励他们创造性和独立思考。REU参与者将参与由学院主导的项目，如无人机网络攻击、无人机网络防御机制、无人机通信隐私保护方法和基于物理层的网络安全。他们将参加各种活动，从文献综述、技术研讨会和讲习班到准备、介绍和传播研究成果。REU网站的三个主要目标是：(1)让本科生接触到各种网络安全项目，这些项目必然会培养他们从事网络安全职业所需的兴趣、技能和知识；(2)通过强调多元化招聘，增加网络安全和STEM领域的本科生人数；(3)为本科生提供强大的专业技能，为他们未来的职业生涯和研究生院提供支持。REU网站将利用ERAUs最先进的设施、研究实验室和教师专业知识，促进对网络安全的兴趣，培养本科生的研究技能，反过来，这将有助于网络安全教育、培训和劳动力发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

This funding institutes a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). Each year, over the summer, ten highly motivated undergraduates will conduct an intense 10-week Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) cybersecurity research program complemented by professional development activities that prepare them for future cybersecurity careers and graduate schools. Students will research existing UAV cyber threats and mitigation strategies and explore new techniques and algorithms to safeguard UAV systems. The REU program will focus on providing unparalleled opportunities for undergraduate students, especially those from underrepresented and minority groups and from institutions with limited resources, by engaging them in real-world cybersecurity research of UAVs. Through small-group, high-quality mentoring practices, the REU training will not only aid in enhancing the safety and security of UAVs in personal and commercial applications but will also build research confidence among REU participants. The overall objective of this project is to immerse undergraduate students in research-intensive training in the cybersecurity field and encourage them to think creatively and independently through hands-on project activities. REU participants will be engaged in faculty-led projects such as UAV cyber-attacks, UAV cyber defense mechanisms, privacy protection methods for UAV communications, and Physical Layer-based cybersecurity. They will participate in activities that range from literature reviews, technical seminars, and workshops to the preparation, presentation, and dissemination of research findings. The three major goals of the REU Site are: (1) to expose undergraduate students to a variety of cybersecurity projects that are bound to build the interest, skills, and knowledge necessary to pursue cybersecurity careers; (2) to increase the number of underrepresented undergraduates in cybersecurity and STEM fields through diversity recruitment emphasis, and (3) to provide undergraduate students with strong professional skills for their future careers and graduate schools. The REU Site will leverage ERAUs’ state-of-the-art facilities, research labs, and faculty expertise to promote interest in cybersecurity and develop research skills of the undergraduate students which, in turn, will contribute towards cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.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.