The National Science Foundation Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure awarded Kansas State University $899,868 on November 1, 2026, under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070) to develop an explainable artificial intelligence framework that secures large language models deployed at nuclear facilities.
The project builds interpretability methods that trace model outputs back to specific inputs and internal representations, then uses those signals to detect and remove poisoned or low-quality training data through machine unlearning. Hardware-based fingerprinting techniques confirm model origin and provenance. At inference time, layered defenses screen inputs, flag risky prompts, and validate outputs before recommendations reach operators. The team validates methods using operational data from a research nuclear reactor. Deliverables include openly shared tools, datasets, a fingerprint library, new university courses, and K–12 outreach to build workforce capability in security-aware technical practices.
The award runs through October 31, 2029, with place of performance in Manhattan, Kansas.