News

The Register UK asks when will quantum computers be capable of crypto-cracking, cites new RAND report and CS Prof. Diana Franklin

Astrophysicist and former University of Chicago scientist, Margaret Burbidge, died in San Francisco in April. Burbidge was a giant in the field of astronomy and physics and an expert practitioner of astronomical spectroscopy—the study of the spectra of stars, galaxies, and quasi-stellar objects. She used her international spotlight to champion the representation and inclusion of women in the sciences.
 

UChicago community finds new ways to learn together
Faculty, students, University community connect as Spring Quarter and remote learning begins

Three undergraduates awarded Goldwater Scholarships to support STEM education: third-years Spencer Dembner, Vennela Mannava and Thomas Propson honored

Article notes Assoc. Prof. Luca Grandi’s role in the Xenon experiment, an investigation into the nature of dark matter, which has been halted by the pandemic

Congratulations to UChicago PSD’s five 2020 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipients, David Zegeye and Cory Cotter in astronomy, LeeAnn Marie Sager in chemistry, and Jordan T Kemp and Amanda Mirna Farah in physics.

In Quanta, Prof. Matthew Emerton describes two new papers that reveal fundamental number-theoretic phenomena that overcome the barrier of bridging two continents—a challenge generations of researchers have pursued as “Langland's program,” which seeks to create a grand unified theory of mathematics. These findings may help prove Fermat’s Last Theorem for some number systems beyond the positive whole numbers.

Founding Chair on the Committee of Information Sciences and pioneer in numerical simulations of the formation of structure in the universe and dynamics of galaxies died on Mar. 7

taking in content
Read the PSD Communications blog Intentional Space for simple strategies to help you navigate working from home and heightening your awareness. This blog series by PSD Communications Specialist Maureen McMahon will run during Spring Quarter. Find simple work-from-home routines, mindfulness strategies, and ways to cultivate a peaceful day.

A team of 60 scientists and engineers, students and clinicians from both the private sector and universities, including the University of Chicago, are unveiling N95decon.org, a website that synthesizes the scientific literature about mask decontamination to create a set of best practices to decontaminate and reuse this protective face covering during the current emergency.

cultivating a peaceful workday
Read the PSD Communications blog Intentional Space for simple strategies to help you navigate working from home and heightening your awareness. This blog series by PSD Communications Specialist Maureen McMahon will run during Spring Quarter. Find simple work-from-home routines, mindfulness strategies, and ways to cultivate a peaceful day.

Prof. Foygel Barber wins Hall Award “for outstanding
contributions to the development of methodology and theory for structured
high-dimensional data problems such as sparse regression, sparse
nonparametric models, and low-rank models, as well as scalable
optimization techniques for nonconvex problems.”

This month PSD researchers have been featured for the efforts of chemists to decode RNA of the new coronavirus, using AI to decode cuneiform tablets, and predicting a new state of matter.

Prof. Margaret Gardel leads effort to donate thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment from UChicago labs.

The new C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute (C3.ai DTI) unites six research universities, including UChicago, with AI software provider C3.ai and Microsoft to focus scientific efforts on advancing the knowledge, science and technologies for mitigating the impact of future pandemics.