Recent News & Accomplishments
2022
Research explores navigational challenges for autonomous vehicles in dense urban environments.
The article is republished from ECE University of Maryland research into using machine learning to predict human driver behavior was featured in Tech Explore. The article, “ B-GAP: A simulation method for training autonomous vehicles to navigate complex urban scenes ,” highlighted work that was recently published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters . The researchers, headed by Distinguished University Professor Dinesh Manocha (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer Science), include computer science Ph.D. students Angelos Mavrogiannis and Rohan... read more
She was also recently elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
The University of Maryland’s Ming Lin has been inducted into the IEEE Virtual Reality Academy , which highlights the accomplishments of the leaders in the field. Criteria for selection include cumulative and momentous contributions to research and/or development; broader influence on the field, the community, and on the work of others; and significant service and/or active participation in the community. Also inducted into the inaugural class of 49 members are UMD alums Michael Antonov (B.S. ’03, computer science) and Brendan Iribe, who were recognized for turning headset virtual reality into... read more
For David Doggette (M.S. ’94, computer science), a National Security Agency scholarship, hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit came together in his Maryland tech company, 2HB Inc.
More than 30 years ago, when David Doggette (M.S. ’94, computer science) was a teenager, he agreed to play the piano at a local college scholarship event. He had no idea it would end up changing the trajectory of his life. “The people organizing the event knew I was a pretty accomplished pianist and asked me if I would play at an event where they were giving out college scholarships,” Doggette recalled. “When they asked me how much I would charge to perform, I told them I’d do it for free.” Although Doggette didn’t receive a scholarship at the event, the woman coordinating the event was so... read more
As an intern, Li developed an extension to help the news infrastructure team resolve bugs before news stories go live.
Last summer, Yong Li interned with Bloomberg Engineering ’s news infrastructure team—a dream position for this University of Maryland senior computer science major fascinated with fintech. Just a few months later, he accepted the company’s offer to join full-time as a software engineer. His not-so-secret weapon? Connecting with people. Li made the most of his time at Bloomberg by meeting as many employees and interns as possible to maximize his learning and networking potential. “ Yong was clearly excited to learn about Bloomberg Engineering and our culture,” said Lisa Ulker, a Bloomberg... read more
Graduate students Joshua Davis, James Mullen, Joel Rajakumar and Max Springer; senior Naveen Raman; and alum Ethan Cheng (B.S. ’21) received the prestigious awards.
Six current students and recent alumni of the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science received prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships, which recognize outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The awardees include: Ethan Cheng (B.S. ’21, biological sciences; B.S. ’21, computer science) Joshua Davis, computer science graduate student (advisor: Abhinav Bhatele) James Mullen, computer science graduate student (advisors: Aniket Bera, Ming Lin and Dinesh Manocha) Joel Rajakumar, computer science graduate... read more
Alexander Levine, Chahat Singh, Leonidas Tsepenekas and Weijia Xu each received the UMD’s Graduate School Semester Dissertation Fellowship for the academic year 2022–2023.
Four graduate students in the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science received prestigious Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowships for 2022-23: Alexander Levine, Chahat Singh, Leonidas Tsepenekas and Weijia Xu. The fellowship provides full-time support to UMD doctoral candidates who are in the latter stages of writing their dissertations. Levine, a graduate of Brown University who double majored in physics and computer Science, worked as a software engineer before joining UMD in 2018. His research interests center on robust machine learning, with a particular focus on providing... read more
Andreea Alexandru , a first-year postdoctoral researcher in the Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2), is proof that global wanderlust and a budding scientific career can coincide in harmony. Originally from Bucharest, Romania, Alexandru has visited 26 countries so far, keeping a scratch map of her travels in her home office. “Looking at places I’ve visited and plan to visit inspires a mental map of the goals I’ve achieved so far—and future goals as well,” says Alexandru, who earned her doctorate in electrical and systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Her research is... read more
The University of Maryland’s computer science graduate program earned top-25 accolades in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Graduate Schools list. Overall, the program ranked No. 9 among public universities and No. 17 overall. Four specialties also ranked in the top 25: Artificial intelligence specialty at No. 13 Programming language specialty at No. 15 Theory specialty at No. 20 Systems specialty at No. 21 The rankings are based on statistical surveys of more than 2,150 programs and reputation surveys sent to more than 23,200 academics and professionals, conducted in fall 2021 and... read more
George Li, a sophomore computer science and mathematics double-degree student, is one of the three UMD students to have been awarded 2022 scholarships by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation , which encourages students to pursue advanced study and research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. Over the last decade, UMD’s nominations yielded 35 scholarships—the second-most in the nation behind Stanford University. The Goldwater Foundation has honored 76 UMD winners and five honorable mentions since the program’s first award was given in 1989. “... read more
More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the persistent virus continues to rear its ugly head, with the U.S. now nearing one million COVID-related deaths. While vaccines have proven effective in decreasing COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations, administering the vaccines continues to be a challenge—both in terms of convincing skeptical individuals to get vaccinated, and in providing easy and equitable access to vaccination sites. New research between the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia (UVA) is working to address the latter, with experts from both institutions... read more