UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1279

serial: '1279'
sid: '20991'
uuid: 607e9efb-8a41-48f3-a843-3976ca1c114a
uri: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal
created: '1755560828'
completed: '1755564418'
changed: '1757093484'
in_draft: '0'
current_page: ''
remote_addr: 68.59.51.243
uid: '0'
langcode: en
webform_id: urop_project_proposal_portal
entity_type: node
entity_id: '1116'
locked: '0'
sticky: '0'
notes: ''
metatag: meta
data:
  roundtable_info:
    - day: 'Friday, September 5'
      endingtime: '1:00'
      starttime: '12:30'
      zoomlink: 'https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffsu.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2FN1LPumVpDW15LEg6cxHPJFaqN1qxVrgQkm4Ya0BD0O2uCNcmnCFvLjJRQNWz7J5Y.68_F-kZiXQdyiivj&data=05%7C02%7Csj11n%40fsu.edu%7C4d0619e881224e3cbe0608ddec9ecb64%7Ca36450ebdb0'
  approximately_how_many_hours_a_week_would_the_research_assistant: 6-8
  are_you_currently_looking_for_students_: 'Yes'
  confirmation_1: '1'
  contact_email_fsu_email: ''
  contact_email_fsu_email2: ''
  contact_email_fsu_email_if_affiliated_: sjayaraman@fsu.edu
  faculty_advisor_confirmation: ''
  faculty_advisor_name: ''
  faculty_advisor_s_fsu_email: ''
  fsu_college: 'Arts and Sciences'
  fsu_department_if_applicable_: 'Computer Science'
  headshot_optional_: '62736'
  if_the_project_location_is_off_campus_does_the_student_need_to_p: ''
  mentoring_philosophy: |-
    As a mentor, I view undergraduate research as a transformative experience—one that introduces students not only to the rigor of academic inquiry but also to the joy and complexity of discovery. My mentoring philosophy centers on fostering independence while providing a reliable scaffold of support. I encourage students to explore the research process with curiosity and initiative, knowing that I am there to guide them through moments of uncertainty, frustration, and breakthrough.

    Recognizing that many undergraduate students enter research with limited experience, I strive to create an environment that balances the thrill of working at the frontier of knowledge with the discipline of evidence-based reasoning and empirical analysis. I believe that early exposure to the iterative nature of research—its trials, errors, and unexpected turns—helps students build resilience and develop a deeper appreciation for the scientific method.

    Above all, I aim to instill in my students the understanding that research is not merely a means to an end, but a journey to be savored. In a world increasingly driven by instant results, I emphasize the value of patience, perseverance, and reflection. Successful researchers are not defined solely by their findings, but by their commitment to the process of inquiry and their ability to learn from each step along the way.

    Through this philosophy, I hope to cultivate not just capable researchers but thoughtful, self-aware individuals who carry the spirit of inquiry into their future academic and professional pursuits.
  mentor_handbook_and_faqs: '1'
  name_of_other_faculty_collaborator_if_applicable_: ''
  number_of_assistants_needed_faculty_postdoc_max_6_graduate_stude: '2'
  other_faculty_collaborator_s_preferred_pronouns: ''
  overall_research_project_description: |-
    In this project, we explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help us find security problems in Windows programs—without needing to take them apart. We use tools like Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which are good at recognizing patterns, and Markov Chains, which help us understand how things change over time.

    Instead of disassembling the program (which can be complicated and risky), we treat the program like a "black box" and analyze its behavior and structure from the outside. This makes the process faster and safer, and it opens up new ways to detect malware or bugs that could be exploited.

    For students, this project offers a hands-on introduction to AI, cybersecurity, and software analysis. You’ll learn how to work with real-world data, train models, and think critically about how computers can learn to spot problems. The techniques we develop could help improve antivirus software, make systems more secure, and even influence how future software is built and tested.
  please_add_any_additional_information_here: 'UROP students in their project will work with a Computer Science Senior student on a DIS course who will be handling most of the technical programming aspects. '
  please_provide_a_link_to_your_publications_a_video_clip_or_a_web: ''
  please_select_the_choice_that_most_accurately_describes_your_exp: 'Partially Remote'
  please_select_the_location_of_your_project_: 'On FSU Main Campus'
  position_availability_for_student_research: 'Flexible schedule'
  position_title: Faculty
  primary_research_mentor_name: 'Sharanya Jayaraman'
  project_keywords: 'Cybersecurity, AI, Computing'
  relevant_student_major_s_: 'Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or IT preferred, but anyone interested in Cybersecurity is welcome'
  research_mentor_preferred_pronoun2: ''
  research_mentor_pronouns: She/her
  research_mentor_supervisor_if_different_from_above_: ''
  research_tasks_for_student_research_assistant_s_: |-
    Students may be expected to perform one or more of these tasks based on experience and interest:
    1. Literature Review & Background Research
    - Explore fundamental concepts in AI, CNNs, Markov Chains, and binary analysis.
    - Summarize existing approaches to malware detection and static analysis.
    2. Data Collection & Preprocessing
    - Gather sample Windows binaries (safe and legal ones).
    - Learn how to extract features from binaries without disassembly (e.g., byte-level patterns, entropy measures).
    3. Evaluate model performance using metrics like accuracy, precision, and recall.
    4. Tool Development
    - Build scripts to automate analysis tasks (e.g., scanning binaries, logging results).
    - Create simple user interfaces or dashboards to visualize findings.
    5. Security Implications & Ethical Considerations
    - Discuss how this approach could improve malware detection.
    - Reflect on ethical concerns in AI and cybersecurity (e.g., false positives, privacy).
    6. Documentation & Presentation
    - Maintain clear documentation of methods and results.
    - Prepare posters or presentations for research showcases or conferences.
  roundtable_times_and_zoom_links: |-
    Tuesday, Sept 2 from 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/5283055514)
    Thursday, Sept 4 from 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/5283055514)
    Friday, Sept 5 from 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM (https://fsu.zoom.us/j/5283055514)
  skills_that_research_assistants_may_need_: |-
    Required:
    - Critical Thinking: Interpreting results, debugging models, and ethical reasoning
    - Communication: Writing reports, presenting findings, collaborating in teams
    Recommended:
    - Math Foundations: Basic probability, linear algebra, and statistics
    - Python
  title_of_the_project: 'AI/ML Based Vulnerability Detection in Windows Binaries'
  update_url: 'https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?element_parents=elements/research_mentor_information/headshot_optional_&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=L1aYYC0bx-RYoiggucRbWFDAuud4AtpIeJUZjMDsg4s'
  urop_performance_evaluation: '1'
  urop_poster_presentation: '1'
  when_potential_research_assistants_are_reaching_out_via_email_2: ''
  when_potential_research_assistants_are_reaching_out_via_email_wh: ''
  when_students_are_reaching_out_via_email_what_is_your_preferreda: Dr.
  would_you_like_to_participate_in_the_urop_research_mentor_round2: 'Yes'
  would_you_like_to_participate_in_the_urop_research_mentor_roundt: ''
  year: '2025'