In this installment of CCCs Weekly Computing News, we’re sharing an important report by the Center for Democracy & Technology that addresses the need for better data that can inform equitable policies for individuals with disabilities.  To Reduce Disability Bias in Technology, Start With Disability Data The interaction between people with disabilities and technology often leads to discriminatory impacts across critical areas such as employment, benefits, and healthcare. Automated decision tools used in hiring processes can unfairly disadvantage disabled applicants by misinterpreting aspects like vocal cadence or eye movements, effectively excluding them from job opportunities.  Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach known as disability data justice. This approach advocates […]

CCC spoke with one of its council members, Michela Taufer about her work in high performance computing (HPC) and her contributions to sustainable AI. Taufer has profoundly shaped the landscape of HPC through pioneering contributions that transcend traditional boundaries. Her career spans pivotal areas including volunteer computing, large-scale data management analytics workflows, and accelerator-based supercomputing. Taufer introduced groundbreaking techniques to ensure computational accuracy in unpredictable volunteer computing environments, laying a foundation for reproducible outcomes. She also championed principles to enhance data FAIRness long before their widespread adoption, significantly influencing modern data management practices in HPC.  Taufer’s innovative solutions, such as the homogeneous redundancy algorithm and composite precision approach, have advanced […]

In this installment of CCC’s Weekly Computing News, we are sharing an exciting opportunity for middle school students to explore the diverse field of robotics. Summer camp introduces young students to the broad field of robotics RoboXploration, a summer camp hosted at the UMass Lowell New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center, aims to introduce middle school students to the diverse field of robotics. Funded by a $50,000 grant from Amazon Robotics, the camp provides hands-on experiences such as building robotic components, coding for robotic control, and teleoperation, highlighting the breadth of robotics applications. Beyond practical skills, the camp includes field trips to industry leaders like MassRobotics and Boston […]

In a Q&A with Arizona State University News, CCC Chair Nadya Bliss spoke about national security challenges, where she shared her contributions to the “Addressing the Unforeseen Harms of Technology” white paper. “As technologists, we tend to be optimistic about new technology and its possibilities. And there are many reasons to be. But history has shown us that we also need to be clear-eyed about vulnerabilities and manipulation, and proactively balance out our excitement over new capabilities with appropriate security practices and techniques to mitigate potential harms. Bliss is deeply involved in national initiatives focusing on technology research, design, and development. Her discussions frequently center on proactively anticipating potential harms […]

Last week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released an early version of their final report for their workshop on Sustainable Computing for Sustainability. One of CCC’s council members Chandra Krintz was on the steering committee, where she brought her expertise in fostering collaboration on computing foundations for sustainability and climate resilience to the workshop.  According to Krintz, the committee was charged with designing the workshop, identifying key participants, reviewing participant submissions, and running the workshop in Washington DC this past April.   “Together, workshop participants helped to identify new research, multidisciplinary collaboration, and investment opportunities for this increasingly important area of computing research.  The event also helped grow the CCC LinkedIn […]

In this installment of CCC’s Weekly Computing News, we are sharing the exciting announcement of a leader-class computing facility project from The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF announces groundbreaking Leadership-Class Computing Facility project  NSF is spearheading the construction of the Leadership-Class Computing Facility (LCCF) at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), UT Austin.  This cutting-edge facility, scheduled to commence operations in 2026, aims to revolutionize computational research across diverse scientific disciplines. At its core is Horizon, the largest academic supercomputer in NSF’s portfolio, designed to deliver significant performance enhancements. Compared to its predecessor, Frontera, Horizon promises a tenfold increase in simulation capabilities and an astounding hundredfold improvement for AI […]