Recent News & Accomplishments
2024
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
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
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
Five researchers with appointments in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) were interviewed for a podcast series on how artificial intelligence (AI) will change education, work, culture and creativity. The podcast episodes were produced by first-year students in UMD’s Design Cultures + Creativity Program who are researching and experimenting with generative AI. Katie Shilton , an associate professor in the College of Information Studies, and Hal Daumé III , a professor of computer science, were interviewed together for an episode focused on what ethical... read more
Abhinav Bhatele , an associate professor of computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies , was the recipient of the 2024 Early Career Academic Achievement Alumni Award from Illinois’ computer science department. The award honors alumni that have attained early milestones or showed strong promise toward long standing contributions to computer science education and research. Bhatele earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science from Illinois in 2007 and 2010, respectively. “It feels great to be recognized by my alma... read more