Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
Maria Molina , an assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic science, and Chris Metzler , an assistant professor of computer science, are developing novel AI-based approaches to help address systemic inequities and improve the lives of populations that are vulnerable to extreme weather events. Their work, supported by an $814K award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), will help both experts and non-experts better contextualize uncertainty and inequity in predicting extreme weather and threatening climate conditions. For example, the researchers say, Black populations are often... read more
The Pittsburgh native gained hands-on experience with software development projects at the Institute of Defense Analysis and now envisions a future in the sector.
Hayden Earlewine , a junior at the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science, spent his summer navigating the intricate and often obscure world of the defense industry. As a summer associate at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA), Earlewine was introduced to the intersection of national security and technology—a field few undergraduates get to explore. However, unlike many of his peers, his path to this experience was anything but conventional. His journey into computer science began with limited exposure and resources, making his entry into the defense industry all the... read more
Researchers study AI-generated information and human perception bias with a $150K seed grant from TRAILS.
Perception bias is a cognitive bias that occurs when we subconsciously draw conclusions based on what we expect to see or experience. It has been studied extensively, particularly as it relates to health information, the workplace environment, and even social gatherings. But what is the relationship between human-based perception bias, and information that is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms? Researchers from the Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society (TRAILS) are exploring this topic, conducting a series of studies to determine the level of bias that users... read more
The event helps students build connections, introduces departmental initiatives and offers insights into academic opportunities.
The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science organized its annual Welcome Social on Monday, August 26, 2024, at the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering . The event, held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., brought together faculty, staff and students to mark the start of the academic year, with sponsors and student groups participating to showcase department initiatives. This fall, the department is expected to have around 4,400 undergraduate and over 500 graduate students. The social, featuring refreshments, allowed faculty and staff to engage with new and returning... read more
Dave Levin discusses malware threats and the risks they pose to county and state agencies.
Maryland officials are warning county agencies and employees to be wary when handling requests under the state’s Public Information Act, after malware attacks using a similar scheme reportedly hit some county attorneys in Virginia. Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) officials, who posted the warning last week, said they are not aware of any attempts against Maryland offices, but wanted to put local officials “on lookout mode.” “We haven’t seen any instances of this happening in Maryland, but I just felt like it was a good opportunity to share this with our people,” said Karrington... read more
James Purtilo warns against treating cybersecurity as separate from software development.
As the world becomes ever more connected, there has also been too much acceptance of flawed costs, as noted by last month’s CrowdStrike update that crashed computer systems worldwide. “Vulnerable software or code is a common issue. Ethical hackers commonly find vulnerabilities in web applications to gain footholds in servers during penetration tests to access computing environments. Some of the reasons for these security flaws are software being developed too quickly and not adhering to secure coding standards, and being not tested, or suboptimally tested,” said Phil Wylie, offensive security... read more
Vinu Sankar Sadasivan, a computer science Ph.D. student, discusses the complexities of AI detection, exploring its mechanisms and key tools in the field.
While AI detection has been heralded by many as one way to mitigate the harms of AI-fueled misinformation and fraud, it is still a relatively new field, so results aren’t always accurate. These tools might not catch every instance of AI-generated material, and may produce false positives. Accuracy rates for AI detection tools can be as high as 98 percent and as low as 50 percent, according to one paper published by researchers at the University of Chicago’s Department of Computer Science. Because of how AI detectors work, they can never guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Factors like training... read more
The event introduces incoming graduate students to faculty research across diverse areas.
The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science organized its annual Computer and Computational Sciences Research Day on August 22, 2024, at Antinov Auditorium in the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering . The event, aimed at introducing incoming graduate students to the department's ongoing research, was attended by over 60 Ph.D. and 50 M.S. students. Research Day featured presentations on various topics, including artificial intelligence, computer graphics, metacomputing, cybersecurity, machine learning, natural language processing, network systems,... read more
Lee, a UMD graduate student, explores the future of communication through extended reality and shares her WiGRAPH Rising Stars experience.
Geonsun Lee , a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science, has been recognized as a rising talent in her field, earning a spot in the WiGRAPH Rising Stars program . This two-year mentorship and workshop program, part of the ACM SIGGRAPH community, is designed to support women and other underrepresented genders in computer graphics research as they transition from academia to the professional world. Lee's path to this achievement is shaped by her multicultural experiences, early academic decisions and a fascination with technology’s potential to connect... read more
Yang joins UMD with a focus on data-driven computational models and human-computer interaction.
Fumeng Yang has joined the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science as an assistant professor. As a new tenure-track faculty member, Yang will focus her research on data-driven computational models, particularly how individuals and groups perceive, use and develop these models. “I am excited to join UMD’s Department of Computer Science,” Yang said. “It’s a place that combines academic excellence with a dynamic atmosphere. In my short time here, I’ve noticed a very collaborative environment and a talented, diverse student body. I look forward to contributing to this vibrant... read more