The authors describe a research program in cybercrime and computer forensics which relies heavily on research by undergraduates.
The goals of this program are to complete projects as defined by clients, but also to allow students to experience the frustrations and enjoyment of solving real-world problems. Furthermore, this experiential approach builds a rich educational environment for students where they must "work for a boss" (faculty member) and with "coworkers" (other students) in a group effort. Overall, students have found the experiences to be beneficial, and the authors typically have more applicants for the positions than are possible to fill. This paper describes three of the actual projects used and illustrates authors’ lessons learned. (Published abstract provided)