Research and Collaborations

CREO is continually exploring new opportunities for research and outreach both within the university and externally. The center focuses on a broad and interconnected set of research areas spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cyber-physical systems, edge and cloud security, machine learning, multimodal computing, autonomous systems security, digital twins, and trustworthy AI. The center’s research is strongly aligned with Dr. Ahmad Patooghy’s expertise in system security and resiliency, machine learning for security applications, and cyber-physical system resiliency. His work bridges theoretical modeling and practical system design for secure and trustworthy computing systems, with a strong focus on edge computing, hardware-assisted security, and AI-driven threat detection.

CREO is currently engaged in several active and funded research projects, including:

  1. SIEM Solution Assessment Against Adversarial Attacks
    Funded by the U.S. Department of the Navy (DoN), focusing on evaluating and strengthening SIEM systems under adversarial conditions.
  2. Edge Security Against Thermal Attacks Using Lightweight Machine Learning and Transformers
    Funded by NSF, targeting hardware-level security threats in edge computing environments.
  3. Real-Time Stress Detection in Mission-Critical Applications
    Funded by Sandia National Laboratories, using facial expression analysis and multimodal sensing for human state detection.
  4. Graph Neural Network-Based Code Vulnerability Analysis and Patching
    Funded by NSF, developing AI-driven techniques for software security and automated vulnerability remediation.
  5. Workforce Training and Development for Cyber Spectrum and Security
    Funded by the Griffiss Institute through AFRL, focusing on cybersecurity workforce development and experiential learning.
  6. Multimodal Health Data Collection, Processing, and Synthesis
    Supported by Title III funding in collaboration with the COAACH Center, focusing on secure and ethical health data analytics.
  7. Digital Twin Design for Security Analysis of Industrial Networks
    Focused on advanced manufacturing systems and cyber-physical security modeling using digital twin technologies.

CREO maintains strong national and international collaborations. Below is a selected list of CREO’s active collaborators:

  • Sandia National Laboratories
  • University of Mississippi
  • Auburn University
  • Tuskegee University
  • Florida International University
  • Miami University (Ohio)
  • Victoria University (Canada)
  • Halmstad University (Sweden)
  • Auburn University at Montgomery
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • University of Alabama
  • Old Dominion University

The center actively partners with regional and state initiatives, including NC-PACE and NC AgDefenders, to advance applied cybersecurity, agriculture security, and workforce development efforts.