Students are expected to undertake a semester long research project related to information assurance. You should work with the instructor to choose a project topic. There are two options for the project:

1. Survey project: Survey a particular area of research in information assurance.
2. Research project: Perform a research paper on a relevant information assurance problem. You may frequently meet with the instructor through the semester if needed. Outstanding research projects (submissible to a workshop or conference) will get an extra 10% bonus grade.

You may change from a research project to a survey project, or vice versa, during the semester.

Having trouble finding a project topic? Look at the papers presented at recent top-tier security conferences, and then come talk to me:

1. ACM CCS
2. NDSS
3. IEEE S&P
4. USENIX Security

Reports

1. Project proposal (everyone): a single page report including project's title, student name(s), and a summary of the plans and objectives.
2. Midterm progress report (research projects only): A 2-pages report outlining the progress of the project, and the plans for the rest of semester.
3. Final report (everyone): At the end of the semester, everyone should submit a report for the project, formated in double-column ACM format. The page limits are 15 and 8 for survey and research projects, respectively.

Presentations

Not everyone will present! In particular, "research projects" do not have to be presented. A number of survey projects will be selected for presentation (through in-class voting).

Deadlines & dates

- 02/10/15: The deadline for choosing project topics, and emailing the 1-page summary. Make sure to have met with the instructor before this date.
- 03/24/15: 2-pages project progress report (research projects only).
- 04/21/2015, 04/23/15, and 04/28/15: Final project presentations (selected survey projects only)
- 05/08/15: Project reports due