Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
In 2021, UMD joined the Aspire Alliance, renowned for its commitment to addressing underrepresentation in STEM from marginalized backgrounds.
When Elias Gonzalez was a student at the University of Maryland, he looked up to his computer science professor Nelson Padua-Perez both as a Latino professor and as a Spanish speaker. Gonzalez, now a computer science lecturer at this university, said his former professor remembered him because they spoke the same language. To him, that experience illustrated the importance of having diverse faculty, Gonzalez added. “Diversity means having all that diverse background and having all those lived experiences that are different,” Gonzalez said. “Anytime we can insert that into our sequence, I... read more
Through his startup LearnPrompting, Schulhoff developed a free online course that teaches the basics of using ChatGPT as your very own personal assistant.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our interactions with technology and challenging our perceptions of machine intelligence. By automating routine tasks, AI is driving innovation in critical sectors like finance, health care and transportation. As this technology continues to advance, it’s vitally important for individuals to be able to understand and effectively communicate with AI. University of Maryland computer science major Sander Schulhoff is addressing this need. Through his startup LearnPrompting , he launched an online course on AI literacy called “ChatGPT for Everyone” in... read more
Soheil Feizi talks with the BBC and discusses Meta's recent measures to label AI-generated images and explores their viability.
It will be deployed on its platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Meta already labels AI images generated by its own systems. It says it hopes the new tech, which it is still building, will create "momentum" for the industry to tackle AI fakery. But an AI expert told the BBC such tools are "easily evadable". In a blog written by senior executive Sir Nick Clegg, Meta says it intends to expand its labeling of AI fakes "in the coming months." However, Associate Professor Soheil Feizi at the University of Maryland suggested such a system could be easy to get around. "They may be able to train... read more
Aaron Akolly aspires to one day create systems for space exploration and ultimately see them put to use as part of Mars colonization efforts.
High school senior Aaron Akolly has always looked to the stars for inspiration. With an interest in machine learning and AI development, his goal is to one day create systems for space exploration and ultimately see them put to use as part of Mars colonization efforts. A newly accepted student to UMD’s class of 2028, Akolly is getting a jumpstart by interning in the university’s Perceptual Interface and Reality Lab (PIRL), where researchers are developing an autonomous collision avoidance system for submarines. This system will use passive sonar—listening for the sound made by vessels—to... read more
UMD is collaborating with over 200 top AI stakeholders in a new federal initiative aimed at enhancing AI systems' trustworthiness and safety.
The University of Maryland (UMD) has joined with more than 200 of the nation’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) stakeholders in a wide-ranging new federal effort to improve the trustworthiness and safety of AI systems. The AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), announced Thursday, Feb. 8 by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo, brings together AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations—all focused on improving the technical and societal benefits of AI, while simultaneously reducing its misuse and any related... read more
His work deals with “descattering,” which involves developing novel ways for computers to “see through” objects and obstructions that scatter light.
Christopher Metzler, an assistant professor of computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, has received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to advance his work in “descattering,” which involves developing novel ways for computers to “see through” objects and obstructions that scatter light. Metzler is principal investigator of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award, expected to total just under $650,000 over the next five years. This highly competitive award, considered one of NSF’s most... read more
Students from 29 high schools around the Washington, D.C., area showcased their skills in the annual programming competition.
The University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science welcomed more than a hundred high school students from across the D.C. area on Saturday, February 3, 2024, to its 34th annual High School Programming Contest (HSPC) at the Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering . Twenty-nine teams, each with four students, competed in this year's competition. The annual contest, organized by the Department of Computer Science, aims to foster interest in computer science among high school students, providing a platform for young programmers to excel and gain recognition. The top... read more
Big Ten Network features Maryland Robotics Center innovations during nationally televised collegiate games.
In an initiative to highlight academic achievements alongside athletic prowess, the Big Ten Network has begun showcasing research activities from its member institutions during televised sports events. This move, prompted by the Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors, aims to provide a broader platform for academic and research endeavors. Among the featured works is that of Distinguished University Professor Dinesh Manocha , whose contributions to robotics research have been highlighted during these broadcasts. The Maryland Robotics Center , where Manocha and his team's work has been instrumental... read more
Maryam Ali, Gina Lee, Grace Orellana and Caitlin Yan will showcase their artistic work at UMD's Stamp Gallery.
In a competitive selection process, three immersive media design students and one computer science student earned spots in the Stamp Gallery 's juried exhibition, an opportunity extended to only 14 University of Maryland students. The students include Maryam Ali (B.A. '24, immersive media design), Gina Lee (B.A. '25, immersive media design; B.A. '25, studio art ), Grace Orellana (B.A. '25, immersive media design) and Caitlin Yan (B.S. '26, computer science; B.A. '26, studio art). With a mission to feature contemporary art that challenges viewers and addresses societal issues, the Stamp... read more
Mills, who served as an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science from 1972 to 1977, invented the Network Time Protocol.
David L. Mills, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science from 1972 to 1977, and the inventor of the system enabling connected computers to synchronize their clocks—an essential technology relied upon by the entire modern internet—passed away on January 17 at his residence in Newark, Delaware. He was 85 years old. His daughter, Eileen “Leigh” Schnitzler, confirmed the death but did not provide a specific cause. Dr. Mills spent more than three decades as a professor at the University of Delaware and was active in designing key parts of the early internet in the late 1970s... read more