Dear colleagues, alumni and friends,
This year, I am thrilled to share with you the many accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students, which truly demonstrate the excellence and dedication that defines our department. First and foremost, I am pleased to welcome three new faculty members to our team: Emmanuel Dorley, Ph.D., Mohammad Al-Saad, Ph.D. and Sonja Schmer-Galunder. Their expertise and enthusiasm will undoubtedly contribute to our continued success and growth.
In this issue, I would like to highlight some of the innovative research taking place in our department. Sara Rampazzi, Ph.D., and her team are making significant strides in defending against cyberattacks on underwater data centers. Meanwhile, Patrick Traynor, Ph.D., has been working to develop more effective ways to detect deep fake audio, and has graciously shared some of his insights with us. Furthermore, Kristy Boyer, Ph.D., is a key part of a collaborative effort to leverage artificial intelligence and wearable technology for sports analytics, in partnership with the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and the University Athletic Association (UAA).
We also have reason to celebrate some of our faculty’s recent awards and recognitions. Sumi Helal, Ph.D., has retired with 25 years of service to the University of Florida, and we are deeply grateful for his commitment and contributions. In addition, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Eakta Jain, Ph.D., who has been named a Senior Member of the Association for Computing Machinery, Christina Boucher, Ph.D., who has been named a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Sanethia Thomas, Ph.D., who received the AI Educator of the Year award from the AI2 Center, the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), and the Center for Instructional Technology & Training and I am honored to be elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Our students and alumni have also achieved impressive successes, and we are so proud of their accomplishments. Zhixin Pan (Ph.D. CS ’22) received the prestigious European Design and Automation Association (EDAA) Outstanding Dissertation Award, while Michael Mosseri (BSCEN ’01) has made it onto the 2024 Gator100 roster at #14. We also shine a spotlight on master’s student Divya Vellanki and have featured an alumni spotlight on Mohamed Sugal (BSCS ’21).
I would like to invite you all to join me in congratulating our faculty and students on these remarkable achievements. Thank you for your continued support, which is critical to our success.
Sincerely,
Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D.
The Banks Family Preeminence Endowed Professor
UF Distinguished Professor
CISE Department Chair