Meet Dr. Qing Hui
Dr. Qing Hui, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), studies and applies the broad area of modeling, control and optimization of network systems. In particular, he is interested in network resource allocation modeling for:
• Countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD)
• Multi-domain cyber-physical modeling and optimization
• Control of cyber-physical networks
• Network security and fault detection
• Cognitive modeling and analysis via neural networks
• Human-in-the-loop modeling and control
• Bio-inspired techniques
Dr. Hui’s recent research is focused on nuclear-competing dynamics modeling and visualization. Through the last decade, he has been sponsored extensively by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for his active CWMD research by using network modeling and control approaches. Dr. Hui co-authored the book, “Nonnegative and Compartmental Dynamical Systems,” published in 2010.
Q&A
What inspired you to contribute your expertise to national security?
I have been applying my research to solve some problems that the Department of Defense (DOD) and DTRA are interested in since 2010. While collaborating with DTRA, my research interest has been shaped towards supporting national security and defense. My previous work with DTRA was to develop some control-theoretic algorithms to enhance robust and stable resource allocation in network systems under weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attacks.
I learned some national security problems when I talked to some researchers at a conference many years ago. At that time, I started exploring new opportunities as I obtained my doctoral degree. During those conversations, I realized that my research can help solve network resource allocation problems for damage mitigation under WMD attacks. Since then I have been working on these problems and developing a lot of interesting results.
View Dr. Hui’s previous work: apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations
What national security challenges do you think you could offer your expertise to?
My expertise can solve problems by offering robust and resilient design for command, control and intelligent systems. It can be used to both model many complex military systems and a network of networks and develop effective command and control strategies for resilient information and resource exchange among such complex systems.
What do you see in the next five to 10 years in your space that you think is important for national security leaders to consider?
I think automated decision-making with robust and resilient artificial intelligence (AI) operations are important for national security leaders to consider. This is because automated decision-making with AI has been widely used to generate information and help top decision makers for critical situation assessment in many military systems.
However, the robustness and resilience of such systems have not yet been fully addressed or tested in real-world scenarios. The question of its reliability and trustworthiness — how much we can rely on them and trust their capability — has become a central issue nowadays. The problem can only be getting worse as many AI-enabled decision-making systems are deploying into command and control and critical infrastructure systems, and we blindly use them without any discretion. Hence, I feel that we need to fully understand the limitations of these systems and try to address those issues when implementing them on critical military and civil infrastructures.
What are you working on right now that excites you and why?
I am currently working on three projects:
• The modeling of robust and resilient deep neural network training with data uncertainty
• Modeling of a refueling network for ships taking low-emission fuels
• Developing a low-cost, multi-scenario simulation platform for concept verification and quick turnaround on hypersonic vehicles
Learn more about Dr. Hui via his UNL bio.
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About the National Strategic Research Institute
Through the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska leading scientists deliver innovative national security research, technology, product and strategy development, training and exercises, and subject matter expertise to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. One of only 15 DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Centers in the country, NSRI is sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command and works to ensure the United States’ safety and preparedness against increasingly sophisticated threats. Read about our mission.
