Modern Heuristic Research Group

“Scalable AI-driven Cybersecurity for Small and Medium Critical Manufacturing”, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) program, 01/01/2026 – 12/31/2026, PI: Shima Mohebbi, Co-PI Milos Manic.

“AI Meets the City: Real-World Deployment of Intelligent Systems”, Central Virginia Node Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI-CVN) program, 01/01/2026 – 12/31/2026, PI: Sherif Abdelwahed, Co-PI Milos Manic.

“Consortium for enabling technologies &innovation (ETI 2.0)”, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), 03/2025-03/2030, PI: Georgia Tech (lead); Co-PIs: Milos Manic (VCU PI for three faculties total) with 12 universities and 12 national laboratories; VCU responsibility: Cybersecurity and AI in nuclear nonproliferation. link

“Commonwealth Center for Advanced Computing (FKA C4)”, Virginia General Assembly, 9/01/2022 – present, , Milos Manic (Director)

“Bowie State University Influence Operations National Innovation Center (BIONIC) –The initiative for analytics and digital engagement R &D to mitigate against Adversarial Malign Influence”, Core Academia Partner : Milos Manic, Co-Lead (VCU with other 3 core members), 2023-present.

US Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute –CyManII”, Strategic research co-lead : Milos Manic, VCU Lead, 2021 -2026.

“Computing Lidar Large Data Sets”, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), 09/01/2024 – 08/01/2025, PI: Milos Manic.

“Improving Patient Outcome Through Artificial Intelligence-Aided Radiation Treatment”, Wright Center Translational Science Award program, 08/01/2024 – 08/01/2025, PI: Lulin Yuan, Co-PI: Milos Manic.

“State Manufacturing Leadership Program (DE-FOA-0002969)”, Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 10/01/2023 – 10/01/2025, Bill Donohoe (PI),  Milos Manic (Co-PI)

“Quantized transformers for building energy forecasting in smart cities: Cybersecure IoT devices with AI and ML on the edge”, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, 09/01/2022-05/01/2024, PI: Jayasimha Atulasimha, Co-PI Milos Manic.

“Cyber Physical Resilience for Security, Safety and Integrity Assurance in Medical Devices”, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, 09/01/2022-05/01/2024, PI: Carl Elks, Co-PI Milos Manic.

Secure neuromorphic computing on embedded IoT devices for building energy management in smart cities “ “ , Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, 09/2021-07/2023, PI: Jayasimha Atulasimha, Co-PI Milos Manic.

“Retropubic Sling Virtual Reality Training System” , Value and Efficiency Teaching and Research (VETAR), VCU Health (VCUHS), 03/2021-9/2022, PI: Lauren Siff, Co-PI Milos Manic.

“Electric Vehicle Integrated Safety, Intelligence, OperatioNs (eVISION)”, Battelle Energy Alliance/INL, 2021-2025, PI Milos Manic.

“INL Fleet &Technology Support,”, 2021-2025, University PI Milos Manic.

“Embedding Expert Bias in Machine Learning for Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructures” , Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, Cybersecurity Innovation Bridge Fund, 2021 –2023, PI: Milos Manic, Co-PIs: Chathurika S. Wickramasinghe, Daniel L. Marino.

CCI Smart Cities: Cyber and Physically Secure Communities: Resilient, Sustainable, Energy Efficient “ “, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, Central Virginia Node, 06/2020-08/2021, PI Milos Manic (VCU), Co-PIs: Irfan Ahmed, Eyuphan Bulut, Changqing Luo.

Protective Relay Master Fault Detector AI Algorithm “ “, Battelle Energy Alliance/INL, 05/01/2020-09/30/2022, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

Infrared Image Classification via Transfer Learning “ “, U.S. Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), 03/06/2020-01/28/2021, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

Fellowship “ “, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2020-08/2023, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

Cyber-Physical Anomaly Detection for Wind “ “, DOE/BEA, 11/2019-09/2022, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

Solar-Assisted State-Aware and ResillienT Infrastructure System Data Driven Models for Threat Detection and Visualization “ “, DOE/BEA, 10/2019-08/2022, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

Autism Center for Excellence: Data-Driven support for Human Interaction, “ “, VA Department of Education/VCU RRTC, 105/10/2019 –8/24/2019, PI: Milos Manic.

Advanced Data Analytics Toolbox and Sensitivity Analysis in Support of Smart High Precision Experiments and Data Management, “ “, BEA/INL, 08/2019-12/2021, PI Milos Manic (VCU), Co-PI Pavel Tsvetkov (TAMU).

2019 Innovation Fund: Knowledge extraction and explainable machine learning in factories of the future “ “, Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) , 08/2019-6/2021, PI Milos Manic (VCU).

NSF US Ignite: Collaborative Research: Focus Area 1: Rapid and Resilient Critical Data Sourcing for Public Safety and Emergency Response, “ “, NSF Award ID: 1647189, $389,973, 02/2017– 30/02/2020, PI: Eyuphan Bulut, Co-PI: Milos Manic.Read More..

Development of Gap Analysis and Design Prototype for Cyber-Physical Assessment and Visualization, “ “, BEA/INL, 02/2017– 06/30/2018, PI: Milos Manic.

Resilient, Scalable Cyber State Awareness of Industrial Control System Networks To Threat: Data Driven Modeling, “ “, Battelle Energy Alliance (INL), 11/2016– 09/2019, PI: Milos Manic.

Computational Intelligence Based Optimization and Control for Reliability and Product Quality in Biomass (PDU), “ “, DOE/INL, 04/2016 – 09/30/2019, University PI: Milos Manic.

National Workshop on Resilience Research for Critical Infrastructure: Current Status and Challenges, “ “, NSF Award ID: 1551895, $75,000, 09/2015-08-2016, PI Milos Manic. Read More

INL Fleet &Simulator Support, “ “, 01/2015-09/2022, University PI Milos Manic.

Biomass energy conversion, “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 08/2014 -09/2014, PI Milos Manic.

All Hazards Critical Infrastructure Knowledge Framework, “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 02/2014 –09/2016, University PI Milos Manic.

Grid-Centric Demonstration of Resilience Technologies “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 02/2014 –09/2015, University PI Milos Manic.

Demonstrating Hybrid Heat Transport and Energy Conversion System Performance Characterization Using Intelligent Control Systems “ ,”, Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), 10/2012 –09/2015, $876,997, $876,997, Co-PI Milos Manic (PI Akira Tokuhiro).

EAGER: US Ignite: Network Slicing for Emergency Communications, “ “, NSF Award ID: 1258486, 10/2012-09/2015, $275,533, PI Milos Manic.

Multi-agent Analysis to Characterize Complex Infrastructure Interdependencies, “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2011 –09/2013, University PI Milos Manic.

Targeted Energy Management Toolset for Comfort and Savings Based on Advanced Computational Intelligence, “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 03/2011 –09/2013, University PI Milos Manic.

Unrestricted Gift, “ “, Fujitsu Laboratories of America, Inc, March 2011, $40,000, PI Milos Manic.

“Intelligent Sensor and Data Fusion ,”, DOE RC-CEDS-2010A, Department of Energy, 12/2010 –09/2012, Co-PI Milos Manic.

Development and Demonstration for National Fuel Efficiency, “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2010 –09/2013, University PI Milos Manic.

‘Known Secure ’Process Measurements For Attack Detection, “ ”Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2010 –09/2013, University PI Milos Manic.

“Experimental Security Vulnerability Estimation, ”Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2010 –09/2013, University PI Milos Manic.

Energy Efficiency Driving “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 09/2010 –10/2010, University PI Milos Manic

UI-CAES Modeling and Simulation “ “, IUC-ACE (Idaho Universities Consortium-Academic Center of Excellence), 04/2010 –09/2012, Co-PI Milos Manic (Co-PIs Jake Jacobson, Darryl Butt)

Advanced Adaptive Algorithms in Phased Array Ultrasonics for Materials Inspection “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2009 –09/2010, University Co-PI Milos Manic (University Co-PIs Michael Moles)

AdDevelopment of State-of-Charge Technology for Zinc/Air Battery Systems “ “, MARCORSYSCOM, Naval Surface Warfare (M67854-08-C-6530) and SBIR Phase II, 11/2009 –09/2010, $200,000 University Partner Milos Manic (PI Herbert Hess)

University of Idaho Sustainable Idaho Greening the Curriculum “ “, University of Idaho, 11/2009 –08/2009, $3,000 Co-PI Milos Manic (PI: Akira Tokuhiro, CO-PI: Phongikaroon)

Control System Data Fusion “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 02/2009 –09/2011, University PI Milos Manic.

Resilient Control System Network Agents “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 06/2008 –09/2010, University PI Milos Manic.

A Fuzzy Approach for Bluetooth Intrusion Detection on Mobile Devices “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 11/2006 –10/2007, University PI Milos Manic

Technical Development, Battlespace Awareness through Critical Information and Interdependency Visual Integration Tool (CIIVIT) “ “, Department of the Air Force, $80,000, 07/2006 –08/2007, Co-PI Milos Manic (PI Donald Dudenhoeffer)

IDAHO NSF EPSCoR RII: Idaho Experimental Watershed Network “ “, NSF EPSCoR, 2006-2008, $77,000, PI Milos Manic

Integrating Decision Making with Engineering Process Simulations for the Assessment of Converting Biomass CO2 and Nuclear H2 to Synthetic Liquid Transportation Fuels “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 10/2005 –09/2007, University PI Milos Manic

Integrated Network Analysis Prototype Based on Attack Graphs “ “, Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory, 06/2005 –09/2005, University PI Milos Manic

Enterprise Virtual Array (EVA) Performability Analysis “ “, Hewlett-Packard, 06/2004 –05/2005, $24,000, PI Milos Manic