Category Archives: Campus News

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U-M approves graduate certificate in computational neuroscience

By | December 3, 2018
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illustration of brain with interconnecting pathways

The new Graduate Certificate in Computational Neuroscience will help bridge the gap between experimentally focused studies and quantitative modeling and analysis, giving graduate students a chance to broaden their skill sets in the diversifying field of brain science. “The broad, practical training provided in this certificate program will help prepare both quantitatively focused and lab-based students for the… Read More »

Changing the conversation: Seniors and technology

By | December 3, 2018
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Older man and woman looking at a computer

Stereotypes of seniors confused by and struggling with technology might be amusing, but not necessarily accurate, says School of Information researcher Robin Brewer, an SI presidential postdoctoral fellow. Technology isn’t necessarily befuddling for older adults in and of itself, says Brewer. Most of the challenges are because of changes in abilities that make traditional devices and systems tougher for… Read More »

U-M hosts new data center for educational research collaboration

By | November 30, 2018
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The launch of a new research collaboration and a data center at the University of Michigan marks the start of a unique collaboration between U-M, Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Education and the Center for Educational Performance and Information. The new Michigan Education Research Institute and Michigan Education Data Center will facilitate research projects in education,… Read More »

U-M awarded $270k grant to support women in STEM

By | November 28, 2018
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Female professor surrounded by female students.

The Clare Boothe Luce Program of the Henry Luce Foundation awarded a $270,000 grant to U-M. The funding will support women PhD students through the Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering (MICDE). The program  encourages women “to enter, study, graduate and teach” in science, and the funding will support women PhD students who make use of computational… Read More »

Hey, Alexa, stop listening to everything I say

By | November 27, 2018
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Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices

Smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home that can give you the weather forecast, play your favorite tunes, or control the lights in your house are a hot ticket item for the holidays. But not for everyone. Recent research from the U-M School of Information looked at privacy perceptions, concerns, and privacy-seeking behaviors with smart speakers. Florian… Read More »

Why everyone should know programming

By | November 26, 2018
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CU of hands on laptop with code on screen

Putting a bandage on a cut doesn’t mean you want to be a doctor. But in the world of computer science, people assume that everybody with an interest in programming wants to become a computer scientist. It is precisely this thought that Charles “Dr. Chuck” Severance, clinical associate professor at the School of Information, is trying to change. Speaking… Read More »

Should ethics be part of the computer science curriculum? 

By | November 23, 2018
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dictionary entry on "ethics" with words highlighted

As technology becomes ever more integrated into our daily lives, there’s a growing push for people in the computer and data science world to think about the social impact of tech. H. V. Jagadish, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at U-M, joined Michigan Radio’s Stateside program to talk about the moral questions companies should ask when… Read More »

AR improves driverless vehicle testing at Mcity

By | November 21, 2018
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Augmented reality technology can accelerate testing of connected and automated vehicles by 1,000 to 100,000 times, and reduce additional testing costs — beyond the price of physical vehicles—to almost zero, according to a new white paper published by Mcity in November. This unique testing methodology is outlined in a new white paper authored by Henry Liu, professor of… Read More »

Can language courses be just as good (or better) online?

By | November 16, 2018
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group of students talking

For a long time, language instruction has been among those subjects that conventional wisdom held was a tough one to put online. But things are changing as Dearborn faculty are exploring the promise of creating hybrid language courses that pair class time with digital learning. UM-Dearborn instructional designer Alfonso Sintjago is a big believer in digital education, but he’ll be the first… Read More »

Dearborn professor achieves “holy grail” of software engineering

By | November 15, 2018
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Cleaning up messy legacy software is a bane of companies big and small, but it’s long been considered an unclimbable mountain. Now, UM-Dearborn faculty member Marouane Kessentini might have found a solution. His software refactoring tool—which helps automate the process of cleaning up messy legacy code—was impressive enough that U-M’s Office of Technology Transfer named if one of eight… Read More »

Flint ITS FY18 annual report highlights successes

By | November 14, 2018
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cover of FY18 Flint ITS Annual Report

Flint Information Technology Services recently issued its annual report for FY18. (The entire report (PDF) is available online.) The report provides bios of ITS professional staff as well as updates on the organization’s 10 operational areas. Below are highlights of the report: Data Information Management: Much progress was made this past year toward Flint’s Banner 9 upgrade, including integrations… Read More »

ARC director Geva elected chair of CASC

By | November 13, 2018
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Sharon Broude Geva at podium

Sharon Broude Geva, director of Advanced Research Computing at U-M, has been elected chair of the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC) for 2019. The chair position is one of four elected CASC executive officers. Geva served as CASC secretary in 2015 and 2016, and vice-chair in 2017 and 2018. Founded in 1989, CASC advocates for the use of advanced… Read More »

Can an AI lie detector tell when you’re fibbing?

By | November 12, 2018
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arrows with the words "lie" and "truth" on them

Artificial intelligence is everywhere—but here’s a use you may not have considered: lie detection. It sounds like science fiction, but such an AI system is possible. The question is: How accurate can it be? Rada Mihalcea, a professor of computer science and engineering at U-M, has worked on deception detection for about a decade. Mihalcea’s used 121 video… Read More »

A secure future for US elections starts in the classroom

By | November 9, 2018
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Voting machines have largely replaced paper ballots – but many of these machines are susceptible to errors, manipulation, or hacking, raising concerns about the integrity of election results. Professor J. Alex Halderman has been at the forefront of exposing vulnerabilities in electronic voting systems around the world. By pointing to root causes behind these shortcomings, he hopes to… Read More »

U-M experts figure prominently in election coverage

By | November 8, 2018
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Curtained voting booths showing legs of people inside.

In the run-up to the 2018 midterm elections, concerns about hacking, transparency, and the influence of “fake news” on election outcomes garnered unprecedented coverage by news organizations. Both national and local media often reached out to U-M experts in cybersecurity, social media, and data analysis to provide perspective, interpret research, and explain the challenges of our current electoral… Read More »

Your kid’s apps are crammed with ads

By | November 2, 2018
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girl sitting on bed holding tablet

Many developers market apps for children as being educational. So Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician at the U-M Medical School who wrote the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for children and media, wanted to check that out. Her team of researchers spent hundreds of hours playing 135 different games. Published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the… Read More »

David Chesney receives 2018 James T. Neubacher Award

By | November 2, 2018
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The U-M Council for Disability Concerns has named David Chesney, a lecturer in computer science and engineering, as the 2018 recipient of the James T. Neubacher Award. Reimagining the way in which U-M campus learning and living can be designed for those affected by a disability poses a number of challenges, but Chesney encourages his students to do… Read More »

Computing pioneer to receive honorary U-M doctorate

By | November 2, 2018
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Forty years after her paradigm-shifting work in microchip design and education, Lynn Conway will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree at Winter Commencement 2018 on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus. Conway, U-M professor emerita of electrical engineering and computer science, is one of four respected leaders in the fields of engineering, English, business and academic… Read More »