Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Miami received a $300,000 Project Grant award dated March 1, 2026, from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Computer and Network Systems under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) program (CFDA 47.070). This collaborative research award, executed in partnership with the German Research Foundation (DFG), supports development of a zero-trust framework for Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems operating over 5G and beyond cellular networks. The project addresses critical privacy and security vulnerabilities inherent in dual-purpose wireless systems that simultaneously conduct sensing and data transmission, where shared spectrum and hardware resources create unique attack vectors for signal interception, data manipulation, and system compromise.

Deliverables under this three-year initiative (completion date February 28, 2029) include design and implementation of a novel secure authentication framework to ensure device integrity in zero-trust ISAC environments, development of tools and methodologies to establish confidential wireless channels that conceal sensitive environmental and location data, and transmitter/receiver secure authentication protocols. The project integrates research findings into academic curricula through new networking courses and outreach activities while fostering international knowledge transfer between U.S. and German research institutions. The work is positioned to transform wireless systems into multi-functional networks with enhanced security and privacy protections critical to emerging applications such as digital twins and advanced sensing-communication architectures.