When it comes to undergraduate research, Jeffery Wooldridge is on the cutting edge of improving database security.

Wooldridge, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock junior majoring in computer science, was one of 10 students chosen for a national cyber security research program hosted by the university.

Privileged to be accepted into the CyberSAFE@UALR Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Wooldridge, a Maumelle, Ark., native, said the opportunity gave him plenty of hands-on experience with independent research.

The UALR-hosted, eight-week intensive student research program is funded by a $289,662 grant from the National Science Foundation. In its second year, the research program will conclude in the summer of 2016.

The CyberSAFE@UALR REU program aims to advance understanding of cyber attacks and to investigate more secure, user-friendly approaches to protecting people while they use their smartphones, post on social networks and access data in computing clouds, said Mengjun Xie, project mentor and assistant professor of computer science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

It’s a selective program: Out of 200 applicants, 10 were chosen, including two from the state of Arkansas.

Each student was given a $5,400 stipend. Additionally, participants were loaned a Chromebook and provided housing in UALR dormitories during the program.

Wooldridge’s research involved computer database security and dealt with encrypting and decrypting data in tables by hiding information.

Wooldridge’s partner on the project, Laura Nivens from Kansas Wesleyan University, wrote search queries and papers for their databases while Wooldridge dealt with the technical aspects of the project.

“Working with Laura has been good,” Wooldridge said. “Having a research partner has helped me out in many ways and has lessened the amount of work I have to do.”

Dr. Chia-Chu Chiang, computer science professor and REU mentor, gave Wooldridge plenty of advice when it came to the student’s project.

One of the many UALR computer science faculty mentors in the program, Chiang is interested in providing research projects in the area of database security. He will choose a project for a student based on computer background, such as preference of programming languages, programming skills, and courses taken.

By the end of the program, Chiang expects all the students to successfully learn to be an independent researcher.

There is such a diverse range of topics in the program that non-engineering and science students also find topics they are interested in studying.

“English majors may like to conduct research in the area of natural language understanding, and history majors can investigate the area of history in multimedia systems,” Chiang said. “All in all, the program is not exclusive to students studying engineering and science. Students studying other majors are also encouraged to apply.”

Applicants to the program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a 3.0 or higher grade point average. They are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors majoring in computer science, computer engineering, math, physics, electrical engineering, or other computing-related major.

This year’s commencement ceremony for the program took place Friday, July 31, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business, Reynolds Building, Room 103.