College of Computing and Informatics

N.C. senator to keynote 16th annual Cyber Security Symposium
Sen. Richard Burr, chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, will deliver a keynote address during the College of Computing and Informatics 16th annual Cyber Security Symposium on Wednesday, Oct. 14. A dedicated executive education program will be on Thursday, Oct. 15.

CCI’s Mohamed Shehab is a finalist for 2015 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence
Mohamed Shehab, an associate professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems in the College of Computing and Informatics, is the fourth finalist for the 2015 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence being featured on Inside UNC Charlotte. The recipient will be named during a special awards ceremony on Friday, Sept. 18.

CCI dean recognized by Charlotte Business Journal
Yi Deng, dean of the College of Computing and Informatics, recently received the CIO Award for Academic Leadership from the Charlotte Business Journal.
Deng, along with a number of other Charlotte-area chief information officers, were recognized for “using information technology in innovative ways to optimize business processes, enable growth, create competitive advantages and improve customer experience.”

CCI data scientist develops novel health ROI to optimize biomedical resource allocations
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.
On Topic – Women in Computing
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.

CCI to use NSF grant to transform undergraduate education
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.

Burr visits campus to learn about University’s cybersecurity expertise
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.

Visualization researcher honored with First Citizens Scholars Medal
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 system $2.1M grant to fund Big Data research partnership
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.

Leadership summit on African American males set for Feb. 13
“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.