College of Computing and Informatics

Public and private entities that fund biomedical research face difficult choices on how to allocate a finite level of capital, and scientists often take risks in selecting research topics multiple times in their academic careers. UNC Charlotte data scientist Lixia Yao, in a recently published article in Nature Biotechnology titled “Health ROI as a Measure of Misalignment of Biomedical Needs and Resources,” suggests a better method for those funding agencies and scientists.

Celine Latulipe, associate professor in the College of Computing and Informatics, talks about the launch of a new initiative to engage female students in computer science.

The College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) has received a five-year, $2 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to fund  “The Connected Learner: Design Patterns for Transforming Computing and Informatics Education.”  This project is a reorientation of undergraduate computing and informatics education to focus on student learning that connects to peers, the profession and the community. 

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr recently visited UNC Charlotte to talk with campus officials about the University’s nationally recognized cybersecurity programs. Burr serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which provides oversight of the nation’s intelligence community.

Bill Ribarsky, the Bank of America Endowed Chair in Information Technology, is the 2015 recipient of the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, UNC Charlotte’s most prestigious faculty award in recognition of excellence in research.

Ribarsky’s research has greatly influenced the field of visualization and visual analytics. He has been lauded by peers for advancing the way in which individuals visualize data and approach real-world problems.

UNC Charlotte has received a $2.1 million grant from the UNC General Administration to support research in data science and business analytics (Big Data). The funding, to be distributed across three years, is part of a continuing $3 million appropriation from the General Assembly in 2014 to support areas of “game-changing research” identified in the Board of Governor’s strategic plan for the University system.

“Educating Our Black Youth: A Community Responsibility” is the theme of a leadership summit scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13, in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

The Africana Studies Department and the Urban Education Collaborative, in partnership with the N.C. National Alliance of Black School Educators is conducting this event, which is free for UNC Charlotte faculty, staff and students. There is a $50 registration fee for the public; email africana_studies@uncc.edu or call 704-687-5161.

Daniel Janies, the Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Bioinformatics and Genomics, will present “A Weather Map for Infectious Diseases” at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

In his talk, Janies will illustrate some of the basics of biology and how pathogens, such as the flu or Ebola, spread across time, space and various hosts. His goal is to lay a framework on how to use genetics and geography to monitor diseases constantly versus responding to a series of emergencies.

The Charlotte Area Science Network is cosponsoring this free, public event.

Erik Saule, assistant professor of computer science in the College of Computing and Informatics, has been named a National Consortium for Data Science Fellow for 2015.

The National Consortium for Data Science (NCDS) is a public-private partnership to advance data science and address the challenges and opportunities of big data; Saule was one of three NCDS Data Fellows for 2015.

UNC Charlotte’s Graduate School and State of São Paulo Research Foundation continue to offer faculty members opportunities to form research partnerships. The budget limit is now $20,000 from each party in the SPRINT program (São Paulo Researchers in International Collaboration).