Winter is (finally) appearing to draw to a close here in Madison, though I can remember it snowing in May so we can't be sure. Interest in CS continues to boom: the (preliminary) number of undergraduate CS majors in Spring 2019 - 1694 - is more than 40% greater than the next largest major. We are also busy interviewing for faculty positions and thus get to hear 2-3 lectures per week on the exciting research activity going on in the field. And the department teems with activity - read below about our new faculty members, prestigious grad-student awards, the establishment of the Center for Trustworthy Machine Learning, and our high-school CS teacher symposium.
Look for a feature about the fourth, Christos Tzamos, in the next newsletter.
Center for Trustworthy Machine Learning established
A team of U.S. computer scientists, including UW CS Professor Somesh Jha, is receiving a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make machine learning more trustworthy. Researchers will work together toward two challenging goals: understanding the risks inherent to machine learning; and developing the tools, metrics and methods to manage and mitigate these risks.
CS department holds symposium for WI high-school CS teachers
Over 30 high school computer science teachers from around the state attended a symposium on January 9 hosted by Faculty Associate Andy Kuemmel. The focus of the symposium was "Preparing Your Students for Success as a CS major." This was a rare opportunity for CS high school teachers, not only to learn about helping their students prepare for college, but also to collaborate, share ideas, and network, all important for effective teaching.
On April 9, Badgers around the world will stand up for the causes that matter most to them. It's the first annual Day of the Badger - one day (plus a bit - 1,848 minutes) of giving for all Letters and Science units.
Mark your calendar and give to CS on the 9th - it's what Badgers do!
