Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
The ABC show’s first lead highlights dating in later years.
Before she was handing out roses to 24 eligible suitors at the famous Bachelor Mansion, the dating scene for Joan Vassos (B.S. ’85, computer science) consisted of Delta Gamma formals or meetups at College Park bars. The University of Maryland alum last fall appeared on the debut season of “The Golden Bachelor,” a senior spinoff of ABC’s long-running series “The Bachelor,” where contestants vie for the affections of the lead—and often a proposal. After leaving the show early to help a daughter struggling with postpartum depression, Vassos was named the first “Golden Bachelorette,” relishing... read more
University of Maryland computer science major Eric Bennett and his friend Chris Moon initially met playing the drums in sixth-grade band class. After ten years of friendship, becoming business partners was a natural next step for the two University of Maryland juniors. From band class to McKeldin Mall, a fully student-run startup was born: Chris and Eric’s Small Batch Pickles. “Pickles specifically, there this thing that everyone eats, but no one really makes their own pickles,” said Bennett. In between classes and their professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, Moon — a junior... read more
Axal joins the Mokhtarzada Hatchery incubator program to tackle legacy code hurdles with AI innovation.
For many companies, decades-old software code can be more of a liability than an asset. As technology rapidly advances, maintaining these outdated systems—built using programming languages that are no longer taught and supported—has become an expensive and time-consuming challenge. In today’s fast-paced environment, businesses struggle to keep up with competitors due to the constraints of legacy systems that were once at the forefront of innovation but are now holding them back. Axal , a startup formed by University of Maryland students, seeks to address these challenges. Led by UMD computer... read more
Bahar Asgari, Pierce Darragh, Christopher Kauffman, Elizabeth Qiu and Logan Stevens received teaching awards in four categories.
The University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science recognized its outstanding educators for the 2023-24 academic year, awarding Bahar Asgari , Pierce Darragh , Christopher Kauffman , Elizabeth Qiu and Logan Stevens for their contributions in four distinct categories. Each year, the department honors professors, instructors, STIC facilitators and teaching assistants through a nomination and selection process designed to identify exceptional teaching and mentorship. The recipients were chosen through student nominations, typically collected mid-spring, followed by a review and... read more
Researchers in the University of Maryland’s Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) have just published research that may soon help doctors better diagnosis patients with Parkinson’s disease. Their work, done in tandem with researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and others, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze data from wearable sensors that track movement. Ultimately, the researchers say, this can lead to more accurate and earlier diagnoses of people suffering from Parkinson’s, which in turn can lead to earlier therapeutic interventions. Rana Khalil, a... read more
The physician assistant program at UMB will introduce new technology for stroke assessment.
The 76-year-old patient in the doctor’s office suddenly becomes mute and can’t move her right arm—classic symptoms of a stroke. Cheri Hendrix, director of the physician assistant (PA) program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore goes into assessment mode, her voice growing urgent. “Tell me what day it is,” she says as she checks for a heart rate. “Tell me where you are.” The scene isn’t playing out in real life. It’s a 3-D training simulation representing a common stroke scenario. Soon, PA program students outfitted with virtual reality (VR) goggles will be able to immerse themselves in... read more
The startup incubator selected four student-led teams for support and mentorship opportunities.
The Mokhtarzada Hatchery Program at the University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science has selected the student teams for the 2024-2025 academic year. Now in its fourth year, the program is designed to support students in launching startups and provides annual funding of up to $10,000 per team. The Hatchery provides selected teams with resources to help them progress from idea to implementation. In addition to funding, teams will have access to shared workspaces at the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering and will be paired with mentors, typically experienced... read more
The team, which includes Professor Tom Goldstein and Associate Professor Furong Huang, is designing algorithms for adaptable and robust autonomous systems.
As autonomous robotic systems continue to integrate themselves into our daily lives—flipping burgers, navigating vehicles, sorting parcels, and much more—the need to increase human-like cognitive reasoning within these AI-driven platforms is also growing. Researchers in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) are exploring this topic, leading a multi-institutional effort aimed at enhancing how robots reason, plan and engage in complex, real-world scenarios. The UMIACS team— Furong Huang, an associate professor of computer science, and Tom Goldstein , a... read more
The event offered computer science students job and internship opportunities from 67 government and private employers.
The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science organized its long-standing Fall Career and Internship Fair on September 23 at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union . This signature event held biannually, has become a cornerstone for students seeking to prepare for careers in the rapidly evolving tech industry. With 67 companies in attendance, the fair offered a range of opportunities to approximately 2,750 students eager to connect with potential employers. For many students, the fair serves as a vital stepping stone to internships and full-time positions, providing direct engagement... read more
The University Career Center survey reveals strong job outcomes and competitive salaries for the class of 2023.
The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science reported a 96% job placement rate for the class of 2023, according to a survey conducted by the University Career Center . The data, which includes graduates from August and December 2022 and May 2023, shows that most students entered the workforce with competitive salaries. The survey collected responses from 562 of 840 graduates, with 84.7% joining the workforce. Most secured full-time positions, while 11.2% opted to continue their education. Only 1.2% of graduates remained unplaced, and 2.7% were still seeking employment or... read more