Recent News & Accomplishments

 2023

Descriptive Image (23957)
Thai Cao’s Mindgrasp startup turns dense lectures into digestible notes for busy college students
Several years ago, a thought occurred to University of Maryland computer science major Thai Cao: What if artificial intelligence (AI) could help students learn faster and more efficiently? Though AI was still a relatively untapped market at that time, Cao sensed that it could revolutionize the college experience—and out of this idea, Mindgrasp was born. Founded and led by Cao, the startup aims to make studying easier for students of all backgrounds, strengths and learning styles. Mindgrasp subscribers upload lecture videos, textbook chapters and presentation slides, and the AI model spits out...  read more
Descriptive Image (23953)
A recent crop of AI systems claiming to detect AI-generated text perform poorly—and it doesn’t take much to get past them
We’ve known for some time that tools meant to detect AI-written text don’t always work the way they’re supposed to. Earlier this year, OpenAI unveiled a tool designed to detect text produced by ChatGPT, admitting that it flagged only 26% of AI-written text as “likely AI-written.” OpenAI pointed MIT Technology Review towards a section on its website for educator considerations, which warns that tools designed to detect AI-generated content are “far from foolproof.” However, such failures haven’t stopped companies from rushing out products that promise to do the job, says Tom Goldstein , Volpi-...  read more
Descriptive Image (23952)
The 12th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference has named UMD alum Katherine Calvin as a keynote speaker
The 12th annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) has named UMD alum Katherine Calvin (B.S. '03, mathematics; B.S. '03, computer science), who is NASA’s chief scientist and senior climate advisor, as a keynote speaker. ISSRDC will take place from July 31 to August 3, 2023, in Seattle, and Calvin is slated to speak on the final day of the conference. As chief scientist, Calvin advises NASA leadership on the agency’s science programs and science-related strategic planning and investments. As senior climate advisor, she provides insights and recommendations...  read more
Descriptive Image (23951)
Gottesman and other quantum experts discussed the rapid increase in startups and funding by private industry and governments to bring fully functional quantum computers online.
Daniel Gottesman , the Brin Family Endowed Professor in Theoretical Computer Science and a fellow in the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS), recently weighed in on the current state of quantum computing—and the challenges that lay ahead. In an article published in Connected World , Gottesman and other quantum experts discussed the rapid increase in startups and funding by private industry and governments to bring fully functional quantum computers online. These experts also highlighted potential roadblocks, whether technical, financial or workforce related...  read more
Descriptive Image (23950)
A systems, networking and applied algorithms researcher, Liu will join UMD in fall 2023
Alan (Zaoxing) Liu will join the University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science as an assistant professor in fall 2023. Liu’s research focuses on systems, networking and applied algorithms. "I am honored to be joining the University of Maryland, a university known for its research prowess and exceptional faculty," Liu said. "I anticipate fruitful collaborations with colleagues in an environment that fosters technological advancements." Liu joins UMD from Boston University, where he was an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and head of the FROOT lab (which...  read more
Descriptive Image (23973)
The new imaging system that can potentially “see through” objects and materials that reflect scattered light, thus obscuring other objects from view.
Christopher Metzler , an assistant professor at the Department of Computer Science and who has a joint appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies , is collaborating with researchers at Rice University on a new imaging system that can potentially “see through” objects and materials that reflect scattered light, thus obscuring other objects from view. The multi-institutional team—funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health—has developed a technology they call NeuWS, which is...  read more
Descriptive Image (23948)
Fawzi Emad, Soheil Feizi, Tom Goldstein, Dave Levin, Nelson Padua-Perez and Xiaodi Wu were promoted in summer 2023
The University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science is pleased to announce the promotion of six faculty members, recognizing their contributions to research, teaching and leadership within the field of computer science. "We are proud of the accomplishments and promotions of our faculty members. Their dedication to research, teaching and leadership within the field of computer science is truly exceptional,” said Department Chair Matthias Zwicker, who holds the Elizabeth Iribe Chair for Innovation and the Phillip H. and Catherine C. Horvitz Professorship. “These promotions reflect their...  read more
Descriptive Image (23943)
With their breakthrough in optics the researchers unveil NeuWS, an innovative full-motion video technology for enhanced visibility in adverse conditions
Researchers from the University of Maryland and Rice University created full-motion video technology that could potentially be used to make cameras that peer through fog, smoke, driving rain, murky water, skin, bone and other media that reflect scattered light and obscure objects from view. UMD Computer Science Assistant Professor Christopher Metzler and Ph.D. student Brandon Feng collaborated with Rice University Professor Ashok Veeraraghavan and Ph.D. student Haiyun Guo to develop the imaging technology they named NeuWS (neural wavefront shaping). The technology, which was described in a...  read more
Descriptive Image (23940)
With his vision for cutting-edge technology and unbridled entrepreneurial spirit, Lee continues to leave a lasting impact through his tech ventures
University of Maryland alum Bryant Lee (B.S. ’06, computer science; B.S. ’06, mathematics) has been making waves in the tech industry for over a decade. Today, Lee serves as the co-founder and CEO of Vaero , an enterprise software company that is redefining cybersecurity approaches across industries. Lee’s education laid a strong foundation for his entrepreneurial endeavors. After graduating from UMD in 2006, he further honed his skills at Carnegie Mellon University , earning a master’s degree in computer science in 2009. Lee's quest for knowledge continued at Harvard Law School , where he...  read more
Descriptive Image (23924)
ICRA is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Robotics and Automation Society’s flagship conference and the premier international forum for robotics researchers to present and discuss their work. This year, the conference was held in person in London from May 29, 2023, to June 2, 2023. "Embracing the Future: Making Robots for Humans" was the conference motto. MRC faculty, researchers, and students participated in the conference with a total of 23 papers. Assistant Professor Michael Otte organized a workshop on Communication Challenges in Multi-Robot Systems: Perception...  read more