This is a blog post by CCC Chair Mark D. Hill of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  As readers on the CCC blog know, the Meltdown and Spectre microprocessor design flaws revealed in early 2018 made clear that many, if not most, computer systems can leak sensitive information via implementation timing “channel.” Fortuitously and concurrent with this revelation, the US National Science Foundation had commissioned a March 2018 workshop on “Side and Covert Channels in Computing Systems” led by Guru Prasadh Venkataramani of George Washington University and Patrick Schaumont of Virginia Tech. The report has just been issued. It provides too many research recommendations to summarize here, but let me whet […]

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a webinar on Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI). The webinar will take place March 13th from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time and will provide an overview of the QLCI program. The QLCIs are a part of the Quantum Leap, one of NSF’s 10 Big Ideas. The Quantum Leap focuses on “exploiting quantum mechanics to observe, manipulate, and control the behavior of particles and energy at atomic and subatomic scales, resulting in next-generation technologies for sensing, computing, modeling, and communicating.” NSF will invest $30 million in Quantum Leap through various programs, including the QLCIs, in 2019. Overview Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI) […]

The following is a letter to the community from National Science Foundation (NSF) Director, France A. Córdova. Dear Colleague: The National Science Foundation is initiating a national search for the Assistant Director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). We seek your assistance in the identification of visionary candidates to lead the Directorate during the coming years. Dr. James Kurose has served in this position with distinction since January 2015. He has worked with his NSF colleagues on new initiatives in Harnessing the Data Revolution and other NSF Big Ideas; and with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), other Federal agencies, industry partners, and the academic research […]

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 Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Community, The National Science Foundation (NSF) is once again open for business, operating under a three-week continuing resolution (CR) through February 15, 2019, following the 35-day lapse in appropriations (lapse) that began December 22, 2018, and concluded this past Friday.  Many people have been impacted by the lapse, both personally and professionally, including our own NSF staff as well as all of you – our broader community.  Unfortunately, the lapse resulted in numerous […]

The following is a special contribution to this blog by CCC Chair Mark D. Hill of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Josep Torrellas of University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and co-author of the report discussed below.  All too many of us have experienced how academia’s reward structure seems to favor small projects led by one principal investigator in the jurisdiction of a sub-discipline within a larger discipline. Moreover, the current stability of universities tends to slow the formation of new departments for new disciplines. In contrast, the problems and opportunities that our society faces in education, commerce, science, and government do not respect academia’s boundaries and can require expertise and progress from many aspects […]

Check out the upcoming due dates for the National Science Foundation (NSF)! Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E) Full Proposal Window: November 15, 2018 All proposals to the Division of Astronomical Sciences – Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants Program Guidelines: PD 12-8084 Advanced computational infrastructure and the ability to perform large-scale simulations and accumulate massive amounts of data have revolutionized scientific and engineering disciplines.  The goal of the CDS&E program is to identify and capitalize on opportunities for major scientific and engineering breakthroughs through new computational and data analysis approaches. See more here.  Computer and Network Systems (CNS): Core Programs Full Proposal Window: November 15, 2018 SMALL projects Program Guidelines: NSF […]