Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
Rathbun was awarded a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate fellowship for her work in AI and sensor fusion.
Isabelle Rathbun , a computer science Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland, has been awarded a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) fellowship by the Department of Defense for her research in artificial intelligence within the computer vision and sensor fusion domains. Rathbun was one of 165 individuals from 68 institutions nationwide to receive a three-year NDSEG fellowship this year. The NDSEG Fellowship program, established by Congress, aims to increase the number of U.S. citizens earning doctoral degrees in science and engineering fields critical to national... read more
Herath’s research focuses on integrating and utilizing machine learning techniques to enhance and optimize array signal processing for radar applications.
University of Maryland Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. student Sanjaya Herath has been awarded a SMART scholarship from the Department of Defense (DoD) for his research that focuses on integrating machine learning techniques to enhance and optimize array signal processing. Herath, advised by Department of Computer Science Assistant Professor Christopher Metzler , aims to improve radar systems' accuracy and efficiency. The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Program is part of the DoD’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) portfolio. It... read more
Miers, an expert in cryptography, was recognized for his pioneering work involving the security of blockchain transactions.
A University of Maryland expert in cryptography was just recognized for his pioneering work involving the security of blockchain transactions, which use an advanced database mechanism that allows transparent information sharing within a business network. Ian Miers , an assistant professor of computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS), was part of a team that won an IEEE Security and Privacy Test of Time award for a paper they authored in 2014. “ Zerocash: Decentralized Payments from Bitcoin ” builds a protocol for... read more
Second-year Ph.D. student Amisha Bhaskar is developing a robotic system to enhance autonomy for people with mobility issues.
When Amisha Bhaskar was an undergraduate studying engineering in Delhi, India, she took a field trip to a facility for disabled war veterans where she encountered a man with amputated hands. Bhaskar asked the man what technologies she could design that would help improve his quality of life. His reply—assistance with the ability to take care of himself so that he would not have to rely upon others—left an indelible impression. Now a second-year doctoral student at the University of Maryland studying computer science, Bhaskar is intently focused on this area of study. Working with others in... read more
Graduate and undergraduate students reflect on a journey of academic progress and achievements.
Every year, the University of Maryland honors its students with ceremonies that celebrate the culmination of their academic journeys. These events, marked by pomp and circumstance, bring together graduates, faculty and families to recognize the students' hard work and dedication. The Department of Computer Science participated in two commencement ceremonies, recognizing the achievements of its graduate and undergraduate students in a year filled with extensive academic progress and faculty support. The graduate commencement took place on May 20 at the Chapel , followed by the undergraduate... read more
Huang is leading one of only 35 projects nationwide selected for the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) program.
Furong Huang , an assistant professor of computer science, is part of a new federal initiative that provides powerful computing resources to researchers focused on innovative science and scholarship involving artificial intelligence (AI). Huang, who has a joint appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies , is leading one of only 35 projects nationwide selected for the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) program. NAIRR is a joint effort between the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy. It provides... read more
Like classical computers, quantum computers require error-correction schemes to reliably perform useful large-scale calculations. The nature and frequency of errors depends on the quantum computing platform, and while there has been prior work in this area based on qubit-based coding, those ideas are often not directly applicable to devices that store information in bosonic systems such as photonic resonators. Researchers affiliated with the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS) and the NSF Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (RQS) are addressing this challenge... read more
High-achieving students to lead classmates into commencement.
Four computer science students graduating from the University of Maryland have been named 2024 senior marshals in recognition of their outstanding scholarship, service to the campus community, extracurricular involvement and personal growth. They will carry banners representing their schools and colleges into the university’s main commencement ceremony on Monday, May 20, accompanied by Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, director of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, and Robert Infantino, associate dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, who oversee the marshals program... read more
James Purtilo discusses Microsoft's air-gapped generative AI for intelligence agencies, enhancing data security and computing power.
America’s spy agencies will be deploying generative artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze sensitive data. It was announced last week that Microsoft’s generative AI model for the intelligence communities will address the security issues from large language models (LLMs) – which are typically connected to the Internet – by “air-gapping” the tools to a cloud-based environment. This will be the first major LLM to be separated from the Internet, yet it will retain much of the computing power. Generative AI can analyze massive amounts of data and be used to recognize patterns far faster than... read more
Singh is developing a framework for enhanced autonomy in tiny robots inspired by the efficient perception systems of small animals.
In the natural world, where every graceful flutter of a hummingbird's wings or nimble scuttle of an insect highlights a sophisticated survival and perception system, a similar, albeit artificial, marvel is unfolding in the realm of technology. Alum Chahat Deep Singh (Ph.D. ’23, computer science), a postdoctoral associate at the Maryland Robotics Center , is leading pioneering research to significantly advance the capabilities of palm-sized robots by equipping them with autonomous functionalities reminiscent of nature's most adept small creatures. Singh's work focuses on "minimal perception,"... read more