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May 2026
The Monthly Build
A newsletter for the alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the University of Maryland's Department of Computer Science.
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Features
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UMD CS Graduate Program Rises Four Spots to No. 12 in U.S. News Rankings
The department also ranked in the Top 20 for artificial intelligence, systems and theory. Read More » |
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Distinguished University Professors Receive IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation Most Influential Paper Award
Ming Lin and Dinesh Manocha were recognized for multi-agent navigation research with lasting impact. Read More »
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Growing Ideas Through Code
Aydina and Sufyana Johnson used skills they developed through UMD’s CompSciConnect middle-school program to build a native plants app that gained recognition across Maryland. Read More »
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Students
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Nine CS Terps Awarded 2026 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
The fellowship recipients include current students and recent alums recognized for graduate research potential in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. READ MORE »
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CS Ph.D. Student Ian Whitehouse Receives 2026 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
The Department of Defense-funded award will support his research in neuromorphic and unconventional computing systems. READ MORE »
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CS Ph.D. Student Kyungyeon Lee Studies Haptics to Reshape How People Learn Physical Skills
The research, which received a Best Paper Honorable Mention award at the Association for Computing Machinery’s CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, explores an exoskeleton-based system that examines how wearable technologies can guide users earlier in the learning process. READ MORE »
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Exploring Controllable Generative AI Through Storytelling
CS Ph.D. student Taewon Kang studies how generative models can produce coherent, structured and controllable narratives across scenes, characters and media formats. READ MORE »
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Synthesizing Code and Chords: CS Ph.D. Student Chihao “Steven” Shen Benchmarks AI in Software Security
Shen studies how AI-generated code can be tested for security vulnerabilities in real-world software systems. READ MORE »
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Protecting Abuse Survivors from the Intimate Adversary in the Age of AI
CS Ph.D. student Julio Poveda studies how AI tools can be tested and designed to better protect survivors from technology-facilitated abuse. READ MORE »
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Bitcamp Brings Weekend of Coding to UMD
More than 1,000 registered participants gathered at Reckord Armory for the annual hackathon, where students built projects across software and hardware tracks. READ MORE »
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UMD Students Presented Startup Ideas at Annual Pitch Perfect Event
The annual event connects student founders with experienced entrepreneurs for feedback on early-stage startup ideas. READ MORE »
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Faculty & Research
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Abhinav Bhatele Advances AI Through High-Performance Computing
He discusses his path into computer science, current research in AI and high-performance computing, and the challenges of scaling modern systems. READ MORE » |
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Three CS Faculty Members Receive College Awards
Tom Goldstein, Myungin Lee and Haizhao Yang were recognized for contributions to research, teaching and student mentorship, respectively. READ MORE »
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Furong Huang Builds AI Systems Designed to Act Reliably
She discusses her career in machine learning, current research in AI agents and the importance of adapting in a rapidly evolving field. READ MORE »
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Rob Patro Receives BBI Seed Funding for Laser-Tagging Study of Brain Cells
He will use the seed funding to test a laser-tagging method that links neural activity to single-cell genetic data. READ MORE »
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Andrew Childs Honored for Research That Reshaped Quantum Algorithms
He will receive a Washington Academy of Sciences award for contributions to quantum algorithms and leadership in quantum information science. READ MORE »
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UMD Researcher Advances Computational Tools to Decode the Unknowns of Metagenomics
Nazifa Ahmed Moumi is working with Mihai Pop to develop faster tools for analyzing complex microbial data from environmental samples. READ MORE »
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Events
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Tues
May
19
CMNS Doctoral Commencement Ceremony
August 2025, December 2025 and May 2026 doctoral graduates and their families are invited to celebrate at the college’s ceremony. LEARN MORE »
Tues
May
19
CMNS Master’s and Graduate Certificate Commencement Ceremony
August 2025, December 2025 and May 2026 master’s degree and graduate certificate graduates and their families are invited to celebrate at the college’s ceremony. LEARN MORE »
Wed
May
20
CMNS Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
August 2025, December 2025 and May 2026 bachelor’s degree graduates and their families are invited to celebrate at the college’s ceremony. LEARN MORE »
Immersive Media Design New Works Incubator
Applications are open until May 15 for a free, nine-week summer program supporting students in creating immersive media experiences. Selected projects will be showcased at NextNOW Fest, Sept. 10-11, 2026. LEARN MORE »
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We are grateful to alumni and friends whose generosity supports current and future students. To learn more about how you can make a difference, please visit cs.umd.edu/giving.
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