Assistant Professor Weiping Pei, Ph.D., from the University of Tulsa, has recently achieved notable recognition in the field of cybersecurity. She has been awarded a highly esteemed National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for her project “Improving Work Quality and Worker Safety in AI-Supported Crowd Work.” In addition, Pei secured a three-year NSF grant for her project “Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace (SaTC) 2.0: RES: Understanding and Detecting Online Scams from Generative AI.”
The CAREER Award is designed to honor early-career scholars who exhibit significant potential as both researchers and educators. This unique award places emphasis on pioneering research while also recognizing the importance of educational impact. Pei expressed her gratitude, stating, “Receiving the CAREER Award is truly a dream come true. It reflects NSF’s belief in the promise of my research and my commitment to education. This recognition is incredibly meaningful, and I’m deeply honored.”
Pei’s research has evolved significantly, adapting to current challenges in cybersecurity. Initially, her work focused on security and privacy concerns within crowdsourcing, a method that divides complex problems into manageable tasks for “crowd workers.” Today, her research has progressed to examine the integration of artificial intelligence in crowd work, creating a new dynamic in the human-AI relationship.
This transition not only opens avenues for innovation but also highlights significant systemic risks in cybersecurity and privacy. Pei aims to investigate the less understood risks associated with AI technologies. Her research will specifically address three critical areas: potential misuse of AI-based systems by crowd workers, inherent errors in AI systems, and the privacy implications these systems may pose to workers.
Pei is committed to enhancing the understanding of human-AI collaboration, fostering the development of safer AI systems, and creating more ethical crowd work systems on a global scale. She intends to make her findings accessible to a broad audience, including current and future researchers at the University of Tulsa and beyond.
“The educational goal in the project is to develop modules that bring more disciplinary perspectives to cybersecurity education and that integrate cybersecurity concepts into courses across disciplines,” Pei explained. “These modules, along with the theories, datasets, and tools developed in the research, will be widely shared to support educational, research, and practical impacts.”
Pei highlighted that this achievement is a collective milestone for her and the Tulsa community, emphasizing the region’s research capabilities. “This award affirms the value of the research I’m passionate about and provides critical support to pursue it in a sustained and impactful way,” she stated. “For the broader Tulsa community, I hope it sends a clear message: nationally competitive, high-impact research can thrive here. Our region has the talent, vision, and commitment to shape the future of secure and inclusive technologies.”
The accomplishments of Pei reflect a broader narrative of excellence at the University of Tulsa. Faculty members in the College of Engineering and Computer Science continue to lead advancements in cybersecurity research and innovation, reinforcing the institution’s reputation as a national leader in this vital field.
