2024: Cybersecurity for AI and AI for Cybersecurity

CCI seeks proposals for seed research grants that advance the state of the art of artificial intelligence (AI) for cybersecurity and/or cybersecurity for AI.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups and from researchers and institutions who have yet to engage with CCI or each other. Women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

This is a two-phase application process. In the first phase, researchers submit brief expressions of interest, enumerating directions for AI for cybersecurity or cybersecurity for AI research.

The expressions of interest are due Aug. 14, 2024. Selected researchers will be invited to participate in an in-person planning meeting at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville on Sept. 6, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Participants at the meeting will give 3-minute talks on their topic in the morning. There will be formal and informal networking and teaming opportunities throughout the workshop. 

In the second phase, research teams will submit funding proposals, which are due Oct. 7, 2024. In addition to the usual CCI requirements, proposals must be interdisciplinary and include two or more CCI institutions. There will be up to seven awards of $100,000. There will be no “small” or individual awards in this solicitation.

A 30-minute open, interactive webinar on this call will be held via Zoom on July 30, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Register to receive the webinar Zoom link.

Project topics can include, but aren’t limited to: 

• Anomaly detection
• Automated cyber defense
• System integrity automation
• AI assurance as it relates to cybersecurity
• Machine Learning (ML) training integrity
• Enhancements to the resiliency of open-source AI and ML platforms to cyberattacks
• Explainability of security measures in automated cyber systems

Important note: Research on AI and ML algorithms and other fundamental AI and ML technologies is out of the scope of this call. All proposals must be related to cybersecurity.

Objectives

• Producing seminal contributions to address AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI.
• Pursuing continuation of the awarded project's impact post-funding, including but not limited to seeking additional funding from federal and state agencies, foundations, and the private sector. 
• Contributing to workforce development in cybersecurity with cross-disciplinary domain knowledge.
• Exploring opportunities for innovation (commercialization, entrepreneurship, etc.) at the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Proposal Guidelines

Eligibility

Who Can Serve as Principal Investigator (PI): Researchers and faculty members at public institutions in CCI who are deemed eligible by their home institution to serve as a PI on an external grant are eligible to apply.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Institution: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:  An eligible researcher can participate in at most two proposals in this call and submit one proposal as the Principal Investigator. 

Other Requirements

Expressions of Interest

• Researchers interested in submitting full proposals must submit an expression of interest and research direction to be considered for an invitation to the September workshop. 
• The expression of interest should explain what you see as the research challenges for AI for cybersecurity or cybersecurity for AI. It would be best to briefly describe your expertise or area of research and how you can contribute to a team. Likewise, you are welcome to enumerate the complementary expertise that you seek to form a multidisciplinary team.

Full Proposals

Submissions must include a clear plan for extension of the work through additional research grants from the federal government or industry.

Researchers must indicate which additional funding opportunities (for example, specific calls, agencies, or companies that have expressed interest in the work) they will pursue to build on the research funded by this call.

• You can include letter(s) of support from Virginia companies or government agencies that indicate the relevance of the work or potential collaborations.
• You are strongly encouraged to have one or more PIs on the final proposal attend the workshop.

Awards

Maximum Award Amount: $100,000 per proposal. Full proposals must involve multiple CCI institutions. Since CCI cannot award grants to private institutions, the proposal must include at least two public CCI institutions.

Award Conditions: Successful applicants are expected to participate fully in CCI activities. Researchers must meet specific conditions by:

• Providing materials needed for reports.
• Participating in CCI meetings.
• Acting as a reviewer for future CCI calls for proposals.
• Responding to data collection requests by CCI relating to the grant. 
• Acknowledging CCI support in all publications and presentations resulting from the grant.

The PI is responsible for a final technical report and a final financial report 30 and 60 days following the end of the period of performance.

Expression of Interest Format

The expression of interest is an online, one-page form containing:

• Researcher name
• Affiliation
• Contact information
• One to two paragraphs on the researcher’s proposed research area, how it might affect the cybersecurity posture of AI or ML, and how it might benefit from multi-disciplinary research.

If you need help with the form, email CCI Managing Director John Delaney at  jpdelaney@vt.edu. 

Full Proposal Format

1. Title page (one page): Title of the proposed project, name, affiliation, and contact information for the Principal Investigator (PI) and co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs), if any. Find an example of the title page format at the bottom of this page.

2. Proposed Research Project (up to four pages): Project description.

• Rationale: Discussion of the technical background and engineering/scientific justification. This should include project objectives and the intellectual merit of the proposed work.
• Relevance to CCI and this call: A brief paragraph describing how the project will advance the state of the art in cybersecurity, particularly cybersecurity for AI or AI for cybersecurity.
• Research plan: What exactly will you do? How will you meet the objectives? What are the motivations, methods, likely outcomes, milestones, and future directions? If you’ll leverage existing CCI assets and equipment to support the research, describe the equipment/assets and how you'll use them.
• Deliverables: Describe the expected deliverables for the project (publications, demonstrations, intellectual property, etc.).

 3. Plan for Additional Funding and Impact on the Commonwealth (up to one page):

• Identify one or more specific opportunities for additional funding to expand the proposed research. Outline a plan to pursue this funding.
• Address the potential for commercialization and economic development/impact from this work.
• Include letters of collaboration or support from Virginia companies or agencies, which can be attached as an appendix (such letters do not count toward the page limit).

4. References (not included in the page count)

5. Budget:

• A detailed budget and one-page justification must be included. Confirm your ability to utilize all potentially awarded funds by Dec. 31, 2025.
• Travel should be included to support the PI’s and team members’ attendance at the annual CCI Symposium and other CCI events. The next Symposium is expected to take place in April 2025 in Richmond, Va.
• Indirect costs are not allowed.

6. Biographical sketches: Up to three pages for each investigator, using NSF format.

7.  Current and pending support for each investigator

• Title of the project, status (current, pending, submission planned, etc.), source of the support, period of performance, total award amount, and the portion of the award attributed to the investigator.
• Investigators can use a current NSF Current & Pending Support document that contains this information.

Proposal Submission

The proposal must be submitted to CCI Managing Director John Delaney at  jpdelaney@vt.edu on Oct. 7, 2024, by the close of business day (5 p.m. ET). All proposals must be submitted as a PDF with the subject line reading: “CCI Fall 2024 Research Call.” 

Proposals and budgets should go through the appropriate approval process at the PI’s institution. For example, many universities require researchers to include a proposal and budget approved in the standard Office of Sponsored Programs (or your institution’s equivalent) pre-award procedure. Consult the PI’s node director to confirm the process. 

Contact information of CCI node directors:

• Central Virginia: Erdem Topsakal
• Coastal Virginia: Daniel Takabi
• Northern Virginia: Liza Wilson Durant
• Southwest Virginia: Gretchen Matthews

Evaluation Criteria

A committee will review the proposals and make funding recommendations. Evaluation criteria include:

• Substantial intellectual merit related to cybersecurity.
• Relevance to the focus of the call on AI for cybersecurity or cybersecurity for AI.
• A clear plan for obtaining additional funding from the government, the private sector, philanthropy, etc., and the likelihood of being competitive for the programs identified by the PI.
• Substantial broader impacts related to CCI’s mission lines of innovation and workforce development, as well as in diversifying the cyber workforce.

Specific questions concerning this call for proposals and the requirements herein should be directed in writing to  CCI Managing Director John Delaney at  jpdelaney@vt.edu.

Title Page Format Example

CCI Request for Proposals: Advancing Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity

Project Title:

Project Abstract (up to 250 words):

Total Requested Amount:

Requested Amount per Institution:   

Name, Title, and Mailing Address for Primary Contact at Each Institution Requesting Funding:

Project Investigators:

Download a template of the title page document.