Dear colleagues, alumni and friends,

We are proud to share with you this summary of some of the news and events that have stood out in the last few months. Over the summer, the University of Florida was re-designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research. This year, one of our exceptional faculty received an NSF CAREER award, another was name Innovator of the Year; one is working to make the streets safer with the help of a National Science Foundation grant; and another one retired after 34 years in the department.

Our team is working to bring more diversity to computer science by elevating black women in computing through an inspiring broadcast called the Modern Figures Podcast. Our alumni are trying to bring more women to computer science and engineering through mentorship and shadowing programs. Our efforts to connect students and industry were at their most successful recently when the biannual CISE Career Fair saw its largest attendance.

We look forward to the year ahead and strive for greatness. Go Gators!

Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D.
The Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor
Chair, Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering