“Bold ideas are the currency of our knowledge economy and the lifeblood of our advancement as a culture.” – CNN 10: Ideas List Recently CNN put together a list of 10 emerging ideas that have the potential to change our world. What do most of these possibly revolutionary ideas have in common? A computing research component. These concepts have the potential to make us healthier, to keep us safer on the highways, and to help our computers think for themselves. Here is a quick look at a few ideas on the list that involve computer science: Touchscreens that fold like maps: In 2013, we saw the emergence of flexible display […]

Preparations for the second Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) are in full swing, and applications from young researchers to attend the second Forum are being accepted now. The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) is looking for outstanding young mathematicians and computer scientists from all over the world who would like to get the chance to personally meet distinguished experts from both disciplines and find out how to become a leading scientist in their field. Applications will be accepted until February 28, 2014. Submit applications online at: http://application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org. Successful candidates will be selected by an international committee of experts that will ensure only the most qualified candidates are invited. The second Forum […]

On April 2, 2013, President Obama launched the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders. This multi-agency effort includes funding opportunities from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). In mid-November, DARPA announced two programs as a part of this Initiative: SUBNETS (Systems-Based Neurotechnology for Emerging Therapies) and RAM (Restoring Active Memory). The NIH plans to invest $40 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and has announced six funding opportunities for the BRAIN Initiative. “The first wave of NIH investments in the BRAIN initiative will focus largely on technology development that will advance […]

On Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 10 am EST, Computing Community Consortium (CCC) Council Member Mark Hill will be delivering a Distinguished Lecture at the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Hill is the Gene M. Amdahl Professor of Computer Sciences and Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Hill’s talk will have two parts.  First, he will discuss possible directions for computer architecture research, including architecture as infrastructure, energy first, impact of new technologies, and cross-layer opportunities. This is based on a 2012 CCC whitepaper effort led by Hill. In the second part, Hill will discuss an example of the cross-layer research advocated in the first part. From the […]

As part of Computer Science Education Week, Tom Kalil, Deputy Director for Technology and Innovation at The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and Farnam Jahanian, Assistant Director of The National Science Foundation (NSF) for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), share their thoughts on the White House blog about the importance of computer science for all students and what the government is doing about it. This week, we’re celebrating Computer Science Education Week (CS Ed Week), which highlights the importance of computer science in our education system.  To recognize CS Ed Week this year, we encourage everyone to participate in the Hour of Code. It’s an easy way […]

It was announced on December 9, 2013 that Yann LeCun from NYU will be heading a new research lab at Facebook focused on Artificial Intelligence.  LeCun posted on his Facebook page: Big news today! Facebook has created a new research laboratory with the ambitious, long-term goal of bringing about major advances in Artificial Intelligence. I am thrilled to announce that I have accepted the position of director of this new lab. I will remain a professor at New York University on a part-time basis, and will maintain research and teaching activities at NYU. Cade Metz of Wired has also reported on the news.  He shares, LeCun sits at the heart […]