REU Site: Cloud Computing Security and Privacy

This project will establish a new REU site in Cloud Computing Security and Privacy atBoise State University (BSU). Cloud computing is a relatively new internet computingparadigm, having been developed and popularized only in the last decade. With thewidespread applications deployed in the internet, both the volume and types of cyberattackscontinue to increase and target every internet user. National infrastructure,individuals, businesses, and agencies have fallen victim to cyber-attacks. Developing asecure cloud computing environment requires computer science and cybersecurityprofessionals with interdisciplinary knowledge and skills of software engineering, networksecurity, system security, cryptography, risk analysis, ethics and human behaviors,security policies and laws, and many other security practices. To better defend thevaluable digital assets against cyber-attacks, it is an urgent national priority to make theinternet/cloud more secure. To answer the call, this REU site will recruit self-motivatedstudents and provide them with a variety of cutting-edge research topics in cloud securityand privacy. This will also help address the shortage in the cybersecurity workforce for thenation.This REU site will offer a nine-week summer research program for ten undergraduatestudents each year to gain research experience. The objectives of this project are to (1)recruit a diverse pool of motivated students from underrepresented groups and institutionswith limited research opportunities; (2) help students develop broad research skills byconducting timely and important research projects; and (3) promote cybersecurityeducation – encourage students to pursue graduate studies and to develop a careerinterest in cybersecurity. In order to provide students a better research experience andscaffold their development as a researcher, in addition to the research training, weeklyseminars, and professional talks in the field of cloud security and privacy, students will alsohave the chance to attend a variety of activities to enhance their research skills offered bythe BSU summer research community. These additional activities include: (1) seminars fordiscussing an array of topics, including responsible and ethical conduct of research, criticalthinking, library research activity, poster presentation, and tips to presenting research to apublic audience; and (2) a two-day Idaho Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR)that brings together undergraduate students of diverse disciplines to showcase theiroriginal work in poster presentations to public audience. At the end of the summerprogram, the faculty mentors will continue to work with students to publish their researchresults and advise them with graduate program applications or career planning as needed.This project is jointly funded by CISE and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.