News: Faculty

2023

Cities have long made plans for extreme heat. Are they enough in a warming world?

July 10, 2023

Noboru Nakamura

Geophysical sciences professor Noboru Nakamura says Chicago has made smart changes by implementing heat emergency plans, routine wellness checks, and cooling centers, but that "a systemic problem of a resource inequity is something that you can’t really get rid of overnight...that aspect still is a big, big, big, big unsolved problem."


The Course: A podcast of career stories as told by UChicago professors

July 7, 2023

Created by The University of Chicago Yuen Campus in Hong Kong, The Course podcast is a compilation of personal conversations with UChicago professors. Over a dozen PSD professors answer how they found their passion in the academic field, what they were like as kids, and what it takes to become a professor at The University of Chicago.
 


Laura Gagliardi awarded the 2023 Pauling Medal Award for Outstanding Achievements in Chemistry

July 7, 2023

Prof. Laura Gagliardi

University of Chicago chemist and professor Laura Gagliardi has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Linus Pauling Medal Award for outstanding achievements in Chemistry. Gagliardi is honored for the development of groundbreaking electronic structure theories and combined classical/quantum methodologies that have accelerated the design of new materials, including reticular frameworks.
 


Twitter threatens to sue Meta over Threads platform

July 7, 2023

Ben Zhao

CS professor Ben Zhao discusses the timing of Meta's Threads launch.


Axiom’s zero-knowledge proofs might one day help detect deepfakes

July 6, 2023

Yi Sun

Assistant professor of statistics Yi Sun discusses his startup Axiom developing technology to quickly and accurately detect deepfakes on the internet.


Sixteen UChicago faculty members receive named, distinguished service professorships

July 5, 2023

Michael Franklin and Dan Nicolae

Sixteen UChicago faculty members, including PSD professors Michael Franklin and Dan Nicolae, have received distinguished service professorships or named professorships.


What’s AGI, and why are AI experts skeptical?

June 30, 2023

Allyson Ettinger

Computational linguist Allyson Ettinger explains language processing for ChatGPT in Wired


Gig drivers for Walmart say they’re forced to compete against bots for deliveries

June 30, 2023

Marshini Chetty

Computer scientist Marshini Chetty weighs in on bots taking jobs from gig workers.


In new paradox, black holes appear to evade heat death

June 30, 2023

Bill Fefferman

Computer scientist Bill Fefferman talks quantum gravity and black holes in Quanta Magazine.


Streaming with Brad: The future of lab-grown meat

June 29, 2023

Bryan Dickinson

Chemist Bryan Dickinson discusses lab-grown meat following the USDA’s approval for consumer purchase.


Glaze 1.0 modifies art to block AI-generated imitations

June 29, 2023

psd logo

Article discusses an open source tool Glaze 1.0 developed by UChicago computer scientists that protects artwork by shifting pixels around on images, making them more difficult for AIs to ingest.


How easy is it to fool A.I.-detection tools?

June 28, 2023

Chenhao Tan

Assistant professor of computer science Chenhao Tan comments on AI detection technologies, saying that “in general I don’t think they’re great, and I’m not optimistic that they will be.”


Argonne finishes building its most powerful supercomputer yet

June 23, 2023

Aerial view of Argonne National Laboratory building

Computer science professor Rick Stevens discusses the capabilities of Argonne's supercomputer, Aurora.


Infrastructure woes could slow South Pole telescope plans

June 23, 2023

South Pole Telescope lit in pink with navy sky and stars beyond

Astrophysicist John Carlstrom discusses the launch of CMB-S4.

Photography by Keith Vanderlinde 


Eleven books to read over summer 2023

June 20, 2023

Bozhi Tian

UChicago teaching award winners, including chemist Bozhi Tian, share their selections.

Photo by Jean Lachat