Current Projects
Dr. Dasgupta’s current projects, carried out with colleagues in the Center for Information Assurance (CfIA), focus on securing AI and cyber-physical systems, building national cybersecurity training, and growing the cybersecurity workforce. Funding details for each project are on the Grants page.
AI and Cyber-Physical Security
Regions Investing in the Next Generation (RING) AI Initiatives
A multi-university Cyber AI education initiative that uses interactive games, visual demonstrations, and guided coding activities to teach foundational AI and cybersecurity concepts, and to show how AI can address real-world cybersecurity challenges.
Team: Deepak Venugopal (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta, Myounggyu Won, with two partner universities
Cyber-Physical Vulnerability Analysis of Autonomous Vehicle Perception and Communication Systems
Examines how attacks on the sensing and communication systems of autonomous vehicles can affect their safety, and how such attacks can be detected and mitigated.
Team: Myounggyu Won (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta, Mohd. Hasan Ali
MAESTRO: Multi-Agent Edge-Secure Threat Reasoning & Orchestration for Smart Transportation Systems
Develops multi-agent, AI-driven threat reasoning and coordinated response that runs at the network edge to protect smart transportation systems.
Team: Mohd. Hasan Ali (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta
National Cybersecurity Training
Web-based courses developed with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) and funded by DHS/FEMA Continuing Training Grants, offered free to the nation’s emergency response, IT, and security workforce.
Through the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)CTG-25: Cybersecurity in Drone and AI-Enabled Threat Detection
Turns current research on drone security and AI-enhanced cyber threat detection and information sharing into structured training, including threat intelligence standards, information-sharing frameworks, and the ethical and compliance considerations of using AI in security.
Team: Mohd. Hasan Ali (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta, Myounggyu Won
Through the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)CTG-24: Cybersecurity Analysis for Cloud Environments and Cyber Identity & Authentication
Develops two web-based courses, Cybersecurity in Cloud Environments and Cyber Identity & Authentication, covering cloud threats and defenses, multi-factor authentication, and identity and access management.
Team: Mohd. Hasan Ali (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta
Through the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)CTG-23: Cybersecurity Issues with Operational Technology and Distributed Energy Resources
Develops education and training on operational technology (OT) and distributed energy resource (DER) security, with hands-on activities piloted in university classes and an outreach program of in-person exercises for state and local professionals.
Team: Mohd. Hasan Ali (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta
Cybersecurity Workforce
Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Developing the Cybersecurity Workforce in West Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas
Recruits and trains cybersecurity scholars from the University of Memphis and nearby community colleges, and prepares them for cybersecurity careers in public service.
Team: Kan Yang (PI), Dipankar Dasgupta, Myounggyu Won, Amy Cook
Past Projects
Cybersecurity Education for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CECIP), 2021–2023
An NSA/DoD NCAE-C project, led by Dr. Dasgupta as PI with Dr. Myounggyu Won and Dr. Mohd. Hasan Ali, that built a regional coalition and sector-specific training to prepare professionals for cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such as energy and water systems.
Earlier projects, 2013–2016 (5)
Project Title: Cyber Security Competitive Training
A Project from the FEMA for Developing "Cyber Security Competitive Training", January 15,2016.
Project Title: An Adaptive Continuous Multi-Factor Authentication Framework
The project is about to develop a multi-factor authentication system with adaptive selection of authentication modalities (with their features)in different operating environments making the selection strategy unpredictable to compromise
Project Title: Puzzle Based Cyber Security Learning to Enhance Defensive Skills of Front-Life Technicians
The goal of this project is to improve the effectiveness of cyber security education through puzzle-based learning (PBL), expanding student knowledge and problem solving skills through the stimulation of their cognitive abilities
Project Title: Cyber Security Competitive Training
A Project from the FEMA/DHS for Developing "A Cyber Security Competitive Training", October 1st,2014.
Project Title: ACT Online Courseware Update
The ACT Online courseware is intelligent and adaptive, providing a rich set of tools and features to aid and enhance your learning experience.