New NSF Grant Backs Innovative Role-Playing Game to Enhance Research Security in Academia
New NSF Grant Backs Innovative Role-Playing Game to Enhance Research Security in Academia
February 20, 2026
Summary
The University of Illinois’ School of Information Sciences has received NSF support for REDTEAM, a project that uses structured role-playing games to strengthen academic research security. The initiative examines how human behavior, institutional pressure, ethics, collaboration, and adversarial tactics shape vulnerabilities that standard cybersecurity checklists often miss. Through immersive workshops, researchers, administrators, cybersecurity professionals, and compliance officers will simulate complex research scenarios and test responses to realistic threats. By blending red-teaming, social science, and game-based learning, REDTEAM aims to help universities protect sensitive research while preserving the open, collaborative culture that makes scholarly innovation possible in an increasingly risky landscape.
Reference
Bioengineer. (2026, February 20). New NSF Grant Backs Innovative Role-Playing Game to Enhance Research Security in Academia. Bioengineer.org. https://bioengineer.org/new-nsf-grant-backs-innovative-role-playing-game-to-enhance-research-security-in-academia/