The Computing Community Consortium (CCC) will hold a visioning workshop in Atlanta, GA on March 14-15, 2019 to discuss and articulate research visions for authoring rich media content for new workforce training. The workshop aims to articulate research challenges and needs and to summarize the current state of the practice in this area. This workshop is in response to growing needs in the field and new research programs such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Advancing Cognitive and Physical Capabilities (FW-HTF). Historically, materials such as books and movies were used in addition to hands-on experiences for education and practical training. Increasingly, various other types of computer generated […]

The following is a letter to the community from James Kurose, Assistant Director, and Erwin Gianchandani, Deputy Assistant Director, of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate of Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE).  Dear CISE Community, The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is an important but, from our experience, an often overlooked funding opportunity for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) community.  The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported areas who are pursing full-time, research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.  As the deadline of October 23, 2018, approaches for applicants who fall within CISE fields of study, we want to be sure you all – […]

On October 24, 2018, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine‘s Forum on Aging, Disability, and Independence will host a workshop in Washington, DC that will explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to foster a balance of safety and autonomy for older adults and people with disabilities who strive to live as independently as possible.  AI offers the possibility to greatly benefit Americans who are older than 65 or those who are living with a disability. AI systems present the potential for improving accessibility and transportation systems; increasing social connections; and lowering health care costs. However, there is a significant lack of evidence about the impact of such technologies, which points to a need […]

Last Thursday, Politico held an AI Summit: Innovation and Governance as “a global leadership gathering of policymakers, business leaders and experts for solutions-driven conversations on the impact of AI on governments, industries and society.” Some notable government participants included Representative Will Hurd (Texas), France Córdova (National Science Foundation), and Stacy Dixon (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity). In his opening remarks, Hurd said that we need to “double down on basic research.”  The problem with basic research is that “often times it is hard to understand the return on investment of basic research. People believe the government should have the same returns as venture capital, private equity, but that’s just not possible. […]

The following is a Request for Information (RFI) from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.  The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, announces an RFI seeking feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders regarding research opportunities associated with applying machine learning techniques toward challenges in the geosciences that are relevant to geothermal energy. With respect to the overall goals of establishing the practice of machine learning in the geothermal industry and maximizing the value of the rich datasets available to the geosciences, GTO is seeking input in three areas: Identifying […]

Shwetak Patel, from the University of Washington, contributed to this post.  Would you like to know how much energy your living room TV is using when it is running? What about when how much it uses while still plugged in and turned “off”? How about checking to see if your newborn baby has jaundice using your smartphone? Would that be helpful? All these practical applications are now possible using a smart sensor in the home and on your phone. The National Science Foundation Science Nation recently went to the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) council member Shwetak Patel’s lab to learn how to use smart sensors to create a breakdown of […]