Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Computer and Network Systems awarded a $424,076 CAREER Project Grant to the University of California, Santa Cruz, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070). This award funds research to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in analog compute-in-memory hardware architectures used in next-generation artificial intelligence systems. The project will develop physics-based simulation models and empirical studies to characterize memory wearout mechanisms across multiple analog memory technologies, analyze how device-level wear (changes in resistance and capacitance) can be exploited as remanence side-channels by adversaries, and design practical mitigations applicable to both current and future AI systems.

In addition to research deliverables, the award includes an education and workforce development component addressing the domestic chip design shortage by expanding digital design coursework offerings and training initiatives. No sub-awards are planned for this project. This CAREER grant represents NSF's investment in foundational security research for emerging computing paradigms, particularly addressing the gap between mature cybersecurity defenses for traditional digital systems and newly identified threats in analog computing architectures.