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Frequently Asked Questions
About ICASA
About Complex Additive Systems
About Faculty, Staff, and Students
About ICASA
- What is ICASA?
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ICASA is the Institute for Complex Additive Systems Analysis,
a division of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico
Tech). The Institute is dedicated to protecting the nation’s infrastructure
systems by studying the behavior, vulnerabilities, and predictability of
complex systems. These studies are then used to create innovative solutions
to modern-day national security problems. ICASA also trains and educates
the next generation of analysts, engineers, and scientists through workshops,
seminars, and in-house developed training modules. More
about ICASA...
- What products and services does ICASA provide?
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ICASA provides a variety of products and services that
contribute to the safeguarding of the nation’s security. Scientists
and engineers at ICASA thoroughly research the many aspects of complex systems
and apply this research to develop key enabling technologies custom-designed
and developed for customer’s needs. More
about research…
ICASA also provides training and education for analyzing complex systems
in the areas of information assurance and information security. Outreach
programs, workshops, and presentations on these practical applications are
prepared and presented by ICASA experts in these fields. More
about Outreach…
Also contributing to training and education are ICASA’s training team
members who develop various methods of training presentations, such as platform
(lecture-based), online, and simulation. More
about Training…
- What capabilities does ICASA offer for technology development?
- ICASA’s scientists and engineers’ studies of dynamical systems,
control theory, mathematical physics, and economics lead to the development
of key enabling technologies that non-experts can use and apply to real
world problems. More about Enabling
Technologies…
- What training and education resources are available from ICASA?
- ICASA provides outreach programs, workshops, and presentations in the
area of complex systems, information assurance, and information security.
More about Outreach…
Lead by the ICASA Training Team, the Institute also designs and develops
training tools to accommodate various methods of presentation, such as platform
(lecture-based), online, and simulation. More
about Training…
Lastly, ICASA provides several educational programs for students and professionals.
The Innovative Studies Research Program (ISRP) offers funding to professionals
addressing critical problems in the area of complex systems and modeling
and analysis. The Scholarship for Service provides financial support for
outstanding students through a grant received from the National Science
Foundation (NSF). More about Educational
Programs…
- Where is ICASA located?
- ICASA is located in Socorro, New Mexico on the New Mexico Tech campus.
More about Contact Information…
- Who can I contact for more information about ICASA and its programs?
- Please direct all inquiries to the General
ICASA email, or write to:
New Mexico Tech – ICASA
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801
More Contact Information…
- Who has ICASA previously worked with?
- ICASA has developed a broad range of partners and collaborators since
its inception including: Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC), Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratories,
New Mexico State University, and Lucent Technologies.
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About Complex Additive Systems
- What are complex additive systems?
- Complex additive systems are evolving systems distinguished by their specially
engineered components. These components are designed with a specific goal
of robustness, yet they are still fragile which allows the detection of
vulnerabilities from accidents or malicious attacks.
- How are complex additive systems' vulnerabilities analyzed?
- ICASA scientists and engineers analyze complex additive systems by focusing
on the additive effects, or unintended consequences, of a system’s
efficient design. Through theoretical analysis and extensive modeling and
simulation, scientists and engineers are able to identify several types
of vulnerabilities of the system. Algorithms for checking existing vulnerabilities,
obviating the need to specify exploitation methods, are also identified
through interdisciplinary research.
- What is the difference between complex adaptive systems
and the complex additive systems that are researched at
ICASA?
- Complex adaptive systems are distinguished by the simplicity
of their components, which interact in relatively simple ways to produce
large-scale dynamics with rich, complex structures. In contrast, complex
additive systems, such as those researched at ICASA, are
typically engineered to work very efficiently, often by linking several
systems together to form systems of systems.
- What types of complex additive systems are studied at ICASA?
- Currently, ICASA focuses on the study of four different types of complex
additive systems.
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Electric Power Systems–
ICASA’s Electric Power (EP) team works to understand and model cascading
power failures of Electric Power Systems.
Computer Networks
– Scientists and engineers study computer networks’ behaviors,
vulnerabilities, and interactions in order to develop innovative methods
to better understand computer networks.
Financial Systems
- An interdisciplinary team has developed a three-phase model of the currency
market price-formation process to assess the trade behavior on prices and
bid-ask spreads. Researchers have also developed a model of the US wholesale
power trader market.
About Faculty,
Staff, and Students
- How do I join ICASA's faculty or staff?
- ICASA strives to hire the best research scientists and engineers through
New Mexico Tech. Please refer to Jobs
at New Mexico Tech for ICASA career opportunities, as well as other
career opportunities with New Mexico Tech.
- How do I join ICASA as a student?
- The primary function and goal of ICASA is to assist and encourage the
training and education of future analysts, scientists, and engineers; therefore,
ICASA seeks students to assist in research, development, and administrative
tasks. New Mexico Tech students who are majoring in computer science, electrical
engineering, information technology, management, mathematics, mechanical
engineering, and technical communication are encouraged to contact ICASA
about available student opportunities.
- Does ICASA offer scholarships to New Mexico Tech students?
- Through a grant received from the National Science Foundation (NSF), New
Mexico Tech offers Scholarship for Service, which provides support to outstanding
students studying in information assurance-related fields.
More about Scholarship for Service.
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