REU Site: Assured Autonomy and Networking

The three-year REU Site: Assured Autonomy and Networking is hosted by the University of Florida. Artificial intelligence (AI) will quickly transition from intelligent chatbots to controlling a wide variety of robots, autonomous vehicles, and other physical systems. The advantages include providing reliable and predictable operation of autonomous assets, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and robots, operating in unpredictable environments, and with control being carried out via networked communication. However, there are challenges affecting these communication channels such as failures in the networks that these systems rely on for communication and coordination, or even deliberate attacks. These problems require the education of a new workforce that has the technical knowledge and hands-on capability to understand these problems and develop solutions to ensure that autonomous systems work safely and as intended. This REU site will engage eight undergraduate students in scientific research on these topics. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the wide selection of autonomous vehicles and robots, networks, and sensors. They will be mentored by an interdisciplinary team of faculty and graduate student mentors across electrical & computer engineering, mechanical & aerospace engineering, civil engineering and computer & information sciences. Students will increase their knowledge and gain research experience to further pursue the challenging research problems ensuring the safe and reliable operation of AI-controlled robots, vehicles, and other physical systems. REU students will work on cutting-edge research projects and test their ideas using the wide selection of autonomous vehicles and robots, networks, and sensors of the University of Florida Autonomy Park. Cross-disciplinary projects will allow students to utilize techniques from autonomy/control, AI/machine learning, formal methods, wireless communications and networking, and cybersecurity. Participants will disseminate their research through presentations and written publications and engage with industry representatives through networking events. Undergraduate researchers will develop the ability to conduct independent research, which will transition them to learn and conduct research independently and in teams, and prepare them for future graduate studies and STEM career pathways. 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.