UF Computer & Information Science & Engineering

The CISE spring newsletter has it all: remarkable alumni, anti-hacking efforts for thermal cameras, breaking AI on purpose, combatting non-consensual nudification apps and more... Learn more: bit.ly/4ts4398

The 2026 class of CISE Distinguished Alumni Awardees recently gathered to celebrate with department leadership. Awardees: Adam Bates, Ph.D., Subodha Charles, Ph.D., Aaron Kotranza, Ph.D., and (unable to attend) Ying Xuan, Ph.D. Farimah Farahmandi, Ph.D. bit.ly/4thkyVw

Congratulations to Meera Sitharam, Ph.D., selected by the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering to receive a Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award for the 2025–26 academic year. More: bit.ly/4tBG6NC bit.ly/4tBG6NC

Join Eszter Hargittai, Ph.D., Thursday April 23 at 12:30 pm ET as she presents "Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online" via Zoom. Student Session at 1:30. Hargittai is professor and chair of Internet Use and Society at the University of Zurich. Register: prism.eng.ufl.edu/2026/02/23/esz…

Most assumptions about older adults online are wrong. People 60+ are the fastest-growing internet users. Join @UFPRISM with @eszter to see what research actually shows. Apr 23 | 12:30 PM ET | Virtual Register: bit.ly/4kSEz1O #DigitalLiteracy #Cybersecurity #Aging

UF's Master of Science in Computer Science in Jacksonville is built for working professionals like you, with concentrations in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Learn more: 📅 Tuesday, April 21 🕡 6:30 p.m. ET 👉 Save your spot: bit.ly/47drUkT

CISE is proud to honor five alumni and their extraordinary achievements with Distinguished Alumni Awards. The 2026 honorees are Aaron Kotranza, Ph.D., Adam Bates, Ph.D., Farimah Farahmandi, Ph.D., Subodha Charles, Ph.D., and Ying Xuan, Ph.D. Learn more: bit.ly/3O6XvxU

Work by Sara Rampazzi, Ph.D., and her research group reveals that thermal-based perception systems may be far less reliable and secure than previously assumed. Learn what the team is doing about these vulnerabilities. bit.ly/4lBXizc

Congratulations to CISE Research Administrator Michelle Slepian, recently honored with the CISE 2025 Staff Excellence Award. She was recognized for her contributions to the CISE community and for consistently going above and beyond her formal duties. bit.ly/418PtHG

Sonja Schmer-Galunder, Ph.D., recently chaired a panel discussion on human values and social norms in the age of AI at IASEAI’26. She's the director of the Renwick Program for Ethical, Safe & Beneficial AI at the UF Engineering Leadership Institute. bit.ly/3OVEA9y

Farimah Farahmandi, Ph.D., is living her dream as a celebrated faculty member and researcher at @ECEflorida. And she's a CISE alumna. She received her doctorate in 2018 with Prabhat Mishra, Ph.D., as her advisor. Learn more about her journey: bit.ly/4r9IdWF

CISE Professor Sumit Kumar Jha, Ph.D., is working to strengthen the security measures built into AI tools to ensure they are safe for all to use, and he's doing it by breaking AI on purpose. Learn more: bit.ly/4b0LbH1

Considering a master's degree in computer science? Register now to join a UF CISE Jax Campus Virtual Open House, Monday, March 9 at 6:30 PM. Zoom link will be provided after registration. bit.ly/47drUkT

Thank you to everyone who donated this #GivingDay! All your gifts will help @UFWertheim support all our students, faculty, and staff in their research and continuing education. We are so grateful to be surrounded by such a strong community of #GatorEngineers!

We're in the final hours of #UFGivingDay... Don't miss this opportunity to #StandUpandHoller for CISE. Stand up and be counted... There's no time like right now. cise.ufl.edu/givingday

C'mon, Gator Engineers! These snacks won't eat themselves... 10 to 1 today at the Wertheim Lab building. Also, there seems to be some organized dancing going on... cise.ufl.edu/givingday #ufgivingday #standupandholler

Wheeeeeeeee!UF Giving Day 2026 is here! Gator Engineers, join us from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. today outside the Wertheim Lab for hot cocoa and a sweet treats bar! In the afternoon, we'll be handing out T-shirts! cise.ufl.edu/givingday #ufgivingday

Good morning, Gator Engineers! #UFGivingDay is finally here! Patrick Traynor, Ph.D., interim chair of CISE, is letting everyone know how donations to the CISE Excellence Fund go to help CISE students directly. Support CISE now! cise.ufl.edu/givingday

Giving Day is tomorrow. Support CISE and help fuel innovation in AI, cybersecurity, data science and software engineering. Stand up and holler for CISE. 🐊💻 🔗 bit.ly/3X6dUnC #GatorNationGivingDay #UFCISE #UFEngineering

Congratulations are in order for Meera Sitharam, Ph.D., selected as a @ufwertheim Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring honoree for 2025-26. She'll be formally acknowledged at the Spring Awards Luncheon, and will be considered for the university-level award. Congratulations!