Interest in computer and data science at the University of Oregon continues to build, and the School of Computer and Data Sciences is expanding to accommodate the growing number of students who want to enter the field. This year, the school added seven new faculty members—five in computer science and two in data science—to help meet the demand for courses in key subject areas.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - In a course where innovation meets real-world challenges, three computer science students took their classroom project beyond the grade book and put it into the hands of global travelers. Over the summer, computer science majors Adrian Heider, Raj Gill and Manu Shukla developed and launched a fully functional app: Constella, an iOS application aimed at reducing the cost of international phone plans.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - At NW Cyber Camp, a free weeklong summer camp hosted by the University of Oregon Department of Computer Science, high school students learn some of the same skills cyber criminals use to hack into computer networks—but unlike illegal hackers, they’re using their abilities for good. Now in its second year at UO, the camp draws high school students from Eugene and beyond to campus for a week of experiential learning activities.

Four University of Oregon researchers have received the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty members in the past year. Of the winners is Brittany Erickson, assistant professor of computer science and earth sciences, who studies why some faults slip suddenly and cause big earthquakes, while others move steadily or produce smaller, more frequent tremors.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE - Professor Hank Childs has been named interim executive director of the School of Computer and Data Sciences, succeeding Joe Sventek, who is retiring. Childs is a Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science in the College of Arts and Sciences.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE - With the largest tech market in the world, the U.S. is projected to have approximately 377,500 competitive job openings each year for the next decade. Keeping students who will graduate from the School of Computer and Data Sciences connected with the industry and its key players opens a door to this expansive job market.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Assistant Professor Brittany Erickson, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, had her first encounter with an earthquake in 1989. She was an 8-year-old, playing outside when Loma Prieta violently shook California’s Central Coast at a magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX. The event was terrifying and memorable.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE - Artificial intelligence can predict disasters and detect fine art forgeries. But can it help students learn what they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace—and at what cost?

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Senior Instructor Phil Colbert is one of three recipients of the Tykeson Teaching Award, an annual prize given to one outstanding faculty member in each division of the College of Arts and Sciences who goes above and beyond in the classroom.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Success at the University of Oregon looks different for each student, from academic achievement to personal growth to career readiness. Fedi Aniefua is planning to start his career as a software developer at Amazon in Seattle this July.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Ethan Dinh, a computer science major, gave the winning presentation on his CHC thesis topic, “Proteomic Signatures of Tibial Bone Stress Reinjury.” Using a conversational tone and a quick wit, he was able to convey a complete understanding to the audience about his study of fractured leg bones in recreational women athletes.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Robotics champion and international women's education advocate Saghar Salehi escaped a certain death in Afghanistan to continue her fight for Afghan women’s rights as a computer science major at the UO College of Arts and Sciences.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - When Ramakrishnan (Ram) Durairajan, associate professor and Ripple Fellow in the School of Computer and Data Science, decided it was time to take on the beast that is the internet, he came prepared. Durairajan’s team is developing a new, more agile defense framework that can be programmed to control network infrastructure and forward behavior.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Cybersecurity jobs to protect users and companies from hackers are in growing demand, and a new undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences is training students to fill that role. Launched in the fall of 2023, the cybersecurity major combines rigorous courses and hands-on fieldwork with the aim of preparing students to hit the ground running in a cybersecurity career.

COMPUTER SCIENCE - Funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), computer science researchers at the College of Arts and Sciences are partnering with Rutgers University to answer that question while shoring up the region’s network of earthquake sensors and wildfire cameras.