NSF Award
2413856
As artificial intelligence (AI) is incorporated into more systems, there are growing cybersecurity concerns related to privacy protection as well as a need for highly trained professionals who can develop and deploy trustworthy AI systems. The goal of this project is to develop instructional materials that expose students to privacy issues inherent in AI systems through real-world examples. The project will have a direct and long-term impact by addressing the growing national need for highly trained professionals capable of taking a holistic approach to solving real world problems in complex AI systems. In addition, the project will benefit numerous students from underrepresented minority groups and improve diversity of the workforce. Georgia State University is a minority-serving institution and has strong connections with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Metro Atlanta and the wider region. The project will disseminate the developed materials through training workshops for the educational community and therefore promote adoption of training modules addressing privacy and AI.<br/><br/>The interdisciplinary project team will develop a new course, “Private AI”, which will include instructional modules and hands-on labs that employ state-of-the-art private AI techniques addressing different privacy challenges of AI systems. These instructional modules will be designed according to learning science principles, specifically the principles of problem-centered instruction (PCI). The modules will be based on real-world systems and are designed to cover fundamental privacy principles in AI systems and practical skills systematically. The learning objectives of the interactive curricular activities are for students to (i) understand fundamental concepts and principles of private AI; (ii) understand privacy attacks and defenses, different privacy-preserving techniques, and the pros and cons of each approach; and (iii) gain knowledge and skills in the development and deployment of private AI systems. The deliverables also include manuals to help instructors integrate the modules into their curricula and guidelines on implementing PCI activities in the classroom since many instructors are not experts in instructional sciences. In order to simplify integration and encourage adoption, the modules and the labs will be based on open-source software and tools that are free to use for educational purposes. The modules will also be distributed via free cloud platforms. <br/><br/>This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.<br/><br/>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.
