Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Applied Research

The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Applied Research program, under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, focuses on advancing software engineering and technology for the Department of Defense (DoD). As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, SEI is dedicated to identifying, evaluating, and transitioning innovative software engineering technologies and practices. The program's primary goal is to provide technical leadership and innovation through research and development, enhancing the DoD's capabilities in software-intensive systems.

A key objective of the SEI Applied Research program is developing verification techniques for complex and AI-enabled systems. This involves improving systems verification and validation mechanisms to ensure mission assurance in diverse and contested environments. The program also emphasizes enhancing software assurance by analyzing unverified code and automating code repair processes. These efforts aim to improve behavior prediction accuracy for complex software systems, particularly those enabled by AI.

In addition to advancements in software engineering, the SEI Applied Research program addresses information assurance challenges. It seeks to develop scalable automated methods to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities within DoD's complex systems. By focusing on risk analysis between software, machine learning, and cybersecurity, the program aims to enhance system configuration management in contested environments. This research supports the DoD's need for resilient mission assurance by ensuring that its software is free from vulnerabilities.

The Cyber Security Applied Research project complements these efforts by focusing on automation in cyber defense tasks. It aims to simplify complex tasks such as malware analysis and network flow analysis through increased automation. The project also explores safety and verification for automated cyber defense systems, particularly concerning data compromise effects in AI and machine learning contexts. These initiatives are crucial for maintaining a long-term advantage in cybersecurity for the DoD.