News: Faculty

Assistant Professor Aloni Cohen, second-year PhD student Gabe Schoenbach, and postdoc Alexander Hoover recently posted a paper that extends the theory of watermarking outputs of language models. One of the main goals of watermarking language models involves embedding detectable signals within the outputs of language models such as ChatGPT.

Researchers from UChicago and Northwestern developed a new ultrasensitive DNA-based test that can detect cancer from small fragments of DNA circulating in the blood. Among this team of scientists is John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry Chuan He, a leading expert in the field of epigenomics.

UChicago researchers set out to use computer simulation to better understand what happens to actin filaments under tension and how they recruit proteins to repair damage when it occurs. This led to a discovery that changes our understanding of the fundamental properties of the actin cytoskeleton.

As the Palomar Observatory closes the doors of its esteemed restaurant, scientists reminisce about the kitchen that served astronomers for decades. University of Chicago astronomer Wendy Freedman recalls memorable dinners at the observatory with special guests like Sidney Poitier and Johnny Carson.

The data centers that form the backbone of cloud computing require vast amounts of electricity and water to operate. As a result, these centers have a significant impact on the environment. Professor of Computer Science Andrew Chien comments on the issue in this audio piece, discussing the future of data centers and the steps needed to prevent them from further contributing to climate change.

David Keith, UChicago Geophysical Sciences Professor and Founding Faculty Director of the Climate Systems Engineering initiative, has a proposal to slow global warming: he wants to spray a pollutant into the sky to block some sunlight. He says the benefits would outweigh the danger.

New online safety bills aim to make online spaces friendlier for children by banning ads targeted to them and preventing personal data collection from any underage users. Marshini Chetty, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at UChicago, comments on the role of parent supervision to ensure a child is using the internet safely. 

After CrowdStrike's massive computer outage, businesses are considering how significant their technology vulnerabilities are. UChicago professor Grant Ho comments on the errors that might have led to the outage.

Bryan Dickinson, Margaret Gardel, and Vincenzo Vitelli will study topics related to inflammation and the functions of the immune system.
 

UChicago’s Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics celebrates 20 years of discovery.

Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have observed new details about the boundary of a tidally locked planet—where half of the planet is always exposed to its star while the other is always shrouded in darkness. University of Chicago's Maria Steinrueck, Jacob Bean, and Diana Powell were co-authors of the paper presenting these results.

PhD student Romain Nith, research collaborator Yun Ho, and Associate Professor Pedro Lopes propose increasing the efficiency of multitasking by incorporating electrical muscle stimulation called “SplitBody.”

Some climate experts say carbon removal start-ups will limit global warming, but significant questions remain. David Keith, head of the Climate Systems Engineering initiative at the University of Chicago, comments on the rise of carbon removal strategies. 

Researchers combined the characteristic parts of two well-known reagents into a versatile new compound for transplanting carbon atoms into organic molecules. Chemistry professor Guanbin Dong comments on the scientific interest behind the research. 

UChicago researchers have created Glaze and Nightshade, programs aimed at protecting artists' work from AI scraping. Artists and researchers are embracing these tools as a first step toward fighting against unregulated AI practices.