ASU Math Faculty Awarded $740K Air Force Grant for Cybersecurity Research

SAN ANGELO, TX - Three members of Angelo State University's mathematics faculty have received a three-year, $740,060 grant from the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) to study a mathematical process called "skew zero forcing," which has potential applications to national cybersecurity.

Led by Dr. Dennis Hall, Dr. Simon Pfeil and Dr. Jesse Taylor in the ASU Department of Mathematics, the project explores new ways of modeling and analyzing the flow of information, with an eye toward strengthening cybersecurity and protecting critical systems. While the work is rooted in abstract mathematics, it connects directly to real-world challenges faced by the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, particularly in areas such as cybersecurity and network reliability.

The grant funding will allow Hall, Pfeil and Taylor to work half time on the project during the fall and spring semesters and full time during the summers through the spring of 2028. It will also expand opportunities for ASU undergraduate students to participate in hands-on research at the intersection of mathematics, computer science and national security.

"This grant strengthens Angelo State's tradition of involving undergraduates directly in advanced research," Hall said. "The team will develop a new upper-level course, Skew Zero Forcing Research, that gives students in mathematics and computer science the opportunity to contribute to the project. Students will work side by side with faculty on cutting-edge problems, learning how to apply mathematics in meaningful contexts while building skills valuable for careers in technology, mathematics and beyond."

The undergraduate students will join in the project starting in the spring 2026 semester and could also be eligible for research funding from ASU. The AFOSR grant funding has also allowed for the hiring of an additional instructor in the Department of Mathematics to help cover the teaching load of Hall, Pfeil and Taylor as they work on the project.

Hall joined the ASU faculty in 2016, Pfeil in 2018 and Taylor in 2014. They all attended graduate school together and earned their doctorates in mathematics at Louisiana State University.