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University of Maryland Fearlessly Forward
UMIACS Interface a monthly newsletter highlighting interdisciplinary research and innovation at the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies
June-July 2025
Andrew standing in front of white board full of equations

Andrew Childs Is Named UMIACS Interim Director

The noted expert in quantum information science and quantum algorithms will take on a new leadership role as interim director of the institute, effective July 1, 2025.

headshot of Mihai Pop

Director's Message

“If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.” —Jim Rohn

Soheil and blond woman reporter sitting down at table for interview

Feizi Featured on CBS Saturday Morning

He explained how current AI detection tools are unreliable and should be used with caution in settings involving academic integrity.

16 researchers posing as group on stairs

Fellowship Program Builds Bridges in Microbiome Sciences

Eight graduate students from across campus were selected for this year's cohort by the UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences.

earbud being placed in ear

Earbuds and Echoes: A New Way to Track Auditory Attention

Led by graduate student Harshvardhan Takawale, researchers built a novel system with ordinary earbuds to monitor when someone is focusing on sounds by detecting tiny muscle movements inside the ear.

hand holding AI hologram

UMD Researchers Part of Team Receiving $1.8M DARPA Award to Make AI More Trustworthy

Soheil Feizi and Furong Huang are collaborating to make AI-driven large language models more consistent, adaptable and secure in high-stakes environments.

sketch of robot moving cup

UMD Researchers Sketch Out Path to Smarter Robots

The project, led by doctoral students Amisha Bhaskar and Peihong Yu, can teach complex tasks to robots using simple human drawings.

mini robot illustration

UMIACS Researchers Investigate Security Threats to Web AI Agents

In a first of its kind study, Jia-Bin Huang, Furong Huang and Yizheng Chen uncovered crucial factors underlying vulnerabilities of web AI agents, highlighting the need for enhanced security measures.

Aruna Miller in front of green holocamera studio

Maryland State Leadership Tours UMD Labs

Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, State Secretary of Higher Education Sanjay Rai, and Deputy Secretary of Labor Jason Perkins-Cohen visited Amitabh Varshney's HoloCamera Studio during their tour.

Stephanie wearing gray department t-shirt smiling in lab

Yarwood Helps Lead UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences

Now in its third year, the center is focused on community building on campus while also strengthening partnerships in the region.

headshot of Hannah Zierden

Zierden Receives NSF CAREER Award To Address Women’s Health Disparities

Hannah Zierden, active in the UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences, will use the federal funding for research focused on uncovering mechanisms that drive female reproductive health.

headshot of Soheil Feizi

Feizi Receives $1M Award to Advance the Foundations of Reasoning AI Models

The funding is a result of him earning a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers earlier this year.

Cornelia Fermuller headshot

Fermüller Co-Organizes Event-Based Vision Workshop at Top Computer Vision Conference

The workshop brought together researchers and practitioners focused on the rapidly growing field of event-based and neuromorphic vision.

Student Danika Perez with Youtube icon

Immersive Media Design Graduate Creates Interactive Art

For her senior capstone project, Danika Perez combined her interests in coding and dance to create an interactive series of music videos. Immersive Media Design receives technical and administrative support from UMIACS.

Mohammad Hafezi headshot

Hafezi Receives Humboldt Research Award

Mohammad Hafezi, a senior investigator in the Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation, was recognized for his work on quantum-optical control techniques.

quantum illustration depicting the transfer of heat

Student Perspective: Exploring Quantum Fluctuations with Twesh Upadhyaya

The physics doctoral student describes recent work in RQS that addresses Research Challenge 2: Quantum Simulations Face the Environment.

superconducting circuit

New Protocol Quickly Demonstrates and Verifies Quantum Speedups

Researchers in QuICS and RQS have proposed a novel way to demonstrate a quantum device’s problem-solving power and verify that it didn’t make a mistake.

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