Aiming to safeguard national security using advanced AI, cybersecurity experts at the University of North Texas have received $3 million from the Department of Defense to help the department overhaul its hiring processes.
The UNT researchers, led by computer science and engineering faculty Ram Dantu and Cihan Tunc, received $2.1 million in funding from the Cyber Service Academy under the DOD’s chief information officer. The rest of the funds came from the National Security Agency.
“This is about ensuring we have the right people in the right positions to protect our national security. There are so many foreign actors working against our country, so it is critical that we do this well,” said Dantu, who also directs UNT’s Center for Information and Cyber Security. The center unites faculty experts from the College of Engineering, College of Information, and College of Business to advance information and computer security.
Over the next two years, the UNT researchers will develop an artificial intelligence system powered by a large language model—a type of advanced AI capable of analyzing and generating human-like text. The goal is for the LLM to help match job seekers with open cybersecurity positions within the DOD by analyzing candidates’ resumes and other documents and comparing them with job requirements.
UNT said its team will develop new algorithms for matching cybersecurity requirements as well as calculating the rigor of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks listed in the resumes.
If candidates aren’t a perfect fit for a position, the system will recommend specific certification courses they can take to meet the job’s requirements, UNT said. It’s an innovative approach aimed at streaminglining hiring while also providing clear pathways for individuals to upskill and qualify for highly specialized roles.
UNT said the LLM initially will focus on filling 75 kinds of cybersecurity-related roles within the chief information officer’s division, such as forensics specialists and security software developers. The system will operate on a secure private server to ensure sensitive information remains protected.
Graduate, undergraduate students to work on project
Over time, the project could expand to cover hiring across the entire DOD, the university said.
UNT said the DOD support comes via capacity-building grants designed to strengthen universities’ capabilities in cybersecurity education and research. The Cyber Service Academy focuses on enhancing recruitment and retention in the economically critical field of cybersecurity.
UNT said it is one of the few universities offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate in cybersecurity and also is among only 30 institutions nationwide—and one of only four in Texas—that’s been designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for the next 25 years by the U.S. National Security Agency.
Via this new project, UNT graduate and undergraduate students on the team will have the opportunity to contribute to research that is working to improve processes with implications for U.S. national security, UNT said.
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