News: Faculty

2024

Meta has created a way to watermark AI-generated speech

June 20, 2024

collage of sound waves and the back of a man's head

The tool, called AudioSeal, could eventually help tackle the growing use of voice cloning tools for scams and misinformation. Computer scientist Ben Zhao discusses the system in this MIT Technology Review article. 


David Ballantyne Rowley, UChicago geologist who overturned conventional wisdom about Earth’s surface evolution, 1954–2024

June 14, 2024

David Rowley

David Ballantyne Rowley, Professor Emeritus in UChicago’s Department of the Geophysical Sciences, who specialized in paleoaltimetry, paleogeography, and tectonics, is remembered for noble contrarianism, gregarious curiosity, and love of nature. 

 


UChicago President Paul Alivisatos shares 2024 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience

June 12, 2024

Paul Alivisatos

The prestigious award recognizes pioneering work in nanoscale materials for medical applications. Alivisatos, University President and the John D. MacArthur Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Chemistry, is widely known as a pioneer in nanoscience, the study of how materials behave at extremely tiny scales.


UC Santa Barbara leads $9.5 million research project on ocean cycles

June 12, 2024

world map over ocean ripples

Multinational research team, including GeoSci Associate Prof. Pedram Hassanzadeh, will investigate the ocean’s carbon, oxygen, and heat cycles.


Researchers draw inspiration from ancient Alexandria to optimize quantum simulations

June 6, 2024

marble columns in Athens

A new algorithm developed at UChicago, drawing inspiration from a famous experiment involving shadows in ancient Alexandria, could help quantum computers more efficiently simulate molecular systems with high accuracy.


What do we know about how the world might end?

June 6, 2024

multiple choice test sheet with existential threats as options

New Yorker staff writer Rivka Galchen discusses UChicago class Are We Doomed?, cotaught by astrophysicist Daniel Holz. It’s in the interdisciplinary field of existential risk, which studies the threats posed by climate change, nuclear warfare, and artificial intelligence. Listen to the podcast and read the story.


UChicago to partner on $12 million NSF project to ‘decarbonize’ computing

June 6, 2024

Computer chip

Led by UMass Amherst, goal is to explore grid decarbonization and reduce carbon in computing.


Voltage-sensing protein moves in unexpected ways in Anton simulations

June 5, 2024

In a computer-generated image, lipids are shown as grey spirals; their headgroups are shown as brightly colored oblong structures. These are sandwiched between layers of water molecules shown as blue dots. Amongst the water is a smattering of ions, which

Malfunction of the proteins that sense voltage changes in our nerve cells underlies a number of human diseases throughout the body. A University of Chicago team used an Anton 2 supercomputer developed by D. E. Shaw Research and hosted at PSC to simulate a voltage-sensing protein from a primitive animal to learn how the sensor part of the protein behaves.


Could spraying sea salt into the clouds cool the planet?

June 5, 2024

A salt water solution is sprayed across a boat deck during a test of a cloud brightening system

An experiment in Alameda, CA, highlights the controversy surrounding research on altering the environment to cool the planet. GS Prof. David Keith comments.


No one really understands clouds

June 5, 2024

illustration of clouds that look like an eye

Atmospheric scientist Da Yang comments on "one of the greatest climate mysteries left."


PELICAN takes flight

June 5, 2024

The ATLAS detector at CERN

A novel algorithm that harnesses math and physics principles offers enhanced pattern recognition capabilities.


UChicago scientists invent “living bioelectronics” that can sense and heal skin

June 4, 2024

Jiuyun Shi holds a small device that integrates living cells, gel, and sensors

A flexible, adaptable, storable patch combines bacteria and sensors to interface with the body.


Flight turbulence is getting worse—what to know

May 29, 2024

Star Alliance airplane

Following the Singapore Airlines turbulence incident, climate and aviation experts provide insight into worsening turbulence trends. Geophysical Sciences Prof. Noboru Nakamura comments.


Background check websites often fail to locate criminal records

May 29, 2024

Marshini Chetty

NBC ran background checks on seven Chicago men convicted of serious crimes. In several cases, the paid background check sites we used couldn't find any record of them - criminal or otherwise. Computer scientist Marshini Chetty weighs in.


Atop a Chilean mountain, undergraduate students make cutting-edge astronomical observations

May 29, 2024

class at sunset

UChicago students conduct research at Magellan telescopes as part of new field course. This story is part of a series called UChicago Class Visits, spotlighting transformative classroom experiences and unique learning opportunities offered at UChicago.