The fields of Cybersecurity and Public Health possess many similar attributes. For one, both fields prioritize prevention over reaction in the case of cyber attacks or outbreaks, and both quickly begin focusing on tracking and containment when preventative measures fail. Experts in both fields strive to build resilient systems to mitigate vulnerabilities and rely heavily on communication and public awareness to mitigate cyber and health risks, especially during outbreaks or hacks.   Cybersecurity today, much like Public Health in the 19th and early 20th centuries, faces challenges in measuring and improving outcomes at a population level, and lacks a comprehensive framework to measure its effectiveness at a large scale. […]

  In the near future, robots may assist humans in a near-endless variety of applications — as teaching assistants in schools, in dangerous search and rescue efforts in disaster situations, and in ocean cleanup efforts, to name a few possibilities. In some areas, robots are already supporting humans in carrying out daily activities, such as robots assisting warehouse workers with retrieving and packaging products. While robotics research offers tremendous potential to improve our quality of life, a key challenge lies in developing a skilled workforce to drive these innovations.   CCC recently led the development of a CRA Quadrennial Paper on this topic, titled Imperative for Education the Next Generation […]

The National Academies of Engineering (NAE) recently announced their newly elected members list, and among the many distinguished new members is previous CCC Council member, Maja Matarić. Dr. Matarić, the Chan Soon-Shiong Chair and professor of Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics at the University of Southern California (USC), was elected for her pioneering contributions to human-robot interaction and socially assistive robotics. Matarić’s research focuses on developing socially assistive robots that provide personalized assistance through social interaction rather than physical intervention. Her research has led to applications that aid children with autism, elderly individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke survivors, among others. The interplay between humans and machines serves as both […]

    We are excited to welcome Alina Gerall as a new Program Associate for the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) subcommittee!   In her new role, Alina will assist CCC staff with administrative tasks and logistical matters, such as organizing and coordinating workshops and research efforts. Most recently, she worked at USAID to support the launch of their Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning policy, developing engaging training modules that emphasize the value of knowledge sharing.     “We are thrilled to have Alina join the CCC staff. Her background in Knowledge Management and her ScrumMaster certification will prove incredibly valuable in shepherding our many upcoming reports, workshops, and other events. […]

The Computing Community Consortium (CCC) is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop focused on exploring the role of computing research in neural interfacing. This workshop, co-organized by Abhishek Bhattacharjee (Yale University), Raghavendra Pradyumna Pothukuchi (currently an Associate Research Scientist at Yale and incoming William R. Kennan Jr. Fellow Assistant Professor of CS at UNC Chapel Hill), and Nishal Shah (Rice University), with support from CCC Council member Weisong Shi (Alumni Distinguished Professor of CIS at University of Delaware) and Jojo Platt (Platt and Associates), will be held on April 22-23 in Washington, D.C. Understanding Neural Interfaces Neural interfaces are systems that create a direct communication link between the nervous system […]

In mid-January, OpenAI released an Economic Blueprint outlining policy proposals to enable American leadership in AI development. Along with guidance on testing frontier models for national security risks and suggestions on how the U.S. can take the lead in establishing international standards for AI regulation, the blueprint also focused on funding. The blueprint points to “an estimated $175 billion sitting in global funds awaiting investment in AI projects,” and notes that China is competing strongly for this funding as well.  Shortly after the OpenAI blueprint was released, President Trump announced the Stargate Project, which aims to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S. It is clear […]