Two faculty within the College of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) have been granted funding from the Front Range Consortium (FRC) to further their research that can be applied to strengthening defense systems.
Computer Science Associate Professor Sang-Yoon Chang, Ph.D., and Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Heather Song, Ph.D., were each awarded a $10,000 grant from the FRC to cover a year of research.
Chang’s work is in computer security and cryptography, finding ways to more securely encrypt information to combat the evolving ability of quantum computer attacks. As the ability to crack encrypted algorithms increases, so must the ways of encrypting them. Chang’s “Toward Practical and Deployable Post-Quantum Public-Key Infrastructure,” will explore this.
“My research advances post-quantum cryptography,” Chang said. “This project will focus on digital certificates and cryptographic keys on public infrastructure. The research will build on post-quantum cipher algorithms that have been standardized by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), the federal executive agency.
“This affects our everyday lives,” Chang added. “If you use a phone or computer or even teleconference like Zoom, they use cryptography and public key cryptography and those will be affected future quantum computing adversaries. So we’re making a transition to build a resiliency against such future attackers.”
Song’s research is in microwave antennas, radars and electromagnetics. Her project, “Reconfigurable High Power Microwave Antenna Array for Counter UAS and Golden Dome Homeland Defense Applications,” aims to improve tracking systems for missiles and similar threats.
“I develop amplifiers for radar and antenna systems for military and commercial use,” explained Song. “So I’ll be working on how to improve those systems and come up with a more agile one that can steer and track the threat more quickly, along with researching ways to improve the system in extreme environments such as intense temperature ranges.”
Both Chang and Song will have UCCS graduate students working with them for their projects, giving the students an opportunity to contribute to research not only at the university level but also on matters that connect both local and national defense goals and organizations.
“By doing this, we can contribute to the national defense area and also local defense companies and institutions,” Song said. “This is not just for the research, but also a community regional effect that promotes this type of research in the Colorado Springs area and general defense sectors in both this country and this community.”