Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
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
Nichols is recognized for contributions to machine-learning performance modeling and the application of large language models in high-performance computing.
University of Maryland Department of Computer Science graduate student Daniel Nichols has been named the recipient of the 2024 ACM-IEEE CS George Michael Memorial High-Performance Computing (HPC) Fellowship . This prestigious award acknowledges Nichols' research at the intersection of machine learning and high-performance computing, specifically in advancing machine-learning-based performance modeling and adapting large language models (LLMs) for HPC applications. The George Michael Memorial HPC Fellowship, established in honor of George Michael—one of the founders of the SC Conference series... read more
The National Science Foundation-sponsored program offered practical computer science research experience to students from across the nation.
The University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science has successfully concluded its 12th annual Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program , sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). From June 3 through August 9, the program brought together 18 undergraduate and three high school students from across the United States, providing them with hands-on research experience in cutting-edge projects that focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and algorithms. Participants worked on various projects under the mentorship of UMD faculty and... read more
The new program expands quantum course offerings, allowing students to explore the field from multiple angles.
The University of Maryland will offer a new minor in quantum science and engineering beginning in spring 2025. Students in the minor will learn about quantum computing technologies, algorithms for quantum computers, characteristics of quantum materials, and sensing and noise in quantum systems. “Our new quantum minor complements our well-recognized strength in quantum research and helps prepare our undergraduate students to join the workforce in this emerging field or attend graduate school and contribute to future quantum research,” said Sennur Ulukus, chair of UMD’s Department of Electrical... read more
Childs will receive the award for his work in quantum algorithms at the September 18 Convocation.
University of Maryland Computer Science Professor Andrew Childs will receive the 2024 Kirwan Faculty Research and Scholarship Prize . He will receive the award at the Faculty & Staff Convocation on September 18, 2024, in the Memorial Chapel. A leading scientist in the field of quantum algorithms, Childs has helped develop both theoretical foundations and practical applications for quantum computers, which have the potential to address problems that are beyond the reach of traditional computational methods. Childs earned his B.S. in physics at the California Institute of Technology and his... read more
Levi Burner, a sixth-year doctoral candidate, balances research, service and mentoring as the lab manager for the University of Maryland's Perception and Robotics Group.
Tiny autonomous drones designed to mimic and support bee populations. Larger drones that can navigate difficult terrain with the agility of a hummingbird. Robots that learn to cook by watching YouTube videos. These projects, and many more, were conceived, developed and tested by the University of Maryland’s Perception and Robotics Group , co-led by Yiannis Aloimonos , a professor of computer science, and Cornelia Fermüller , a research scientist in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). A common thread in much of the group’s work is the ability to build... read more