6.22
Erica K. Brockmeier
Science News Officer
ekbrock@upenn.edu
Computer Science
Navigating ‘information pollution’ with the help of artificial intelligence
Navigating ‘information pollution’ with the help of artificial intelligence
Using insights from the field of natural language processing, computer scientist Dan Roth and his research group are developing an online platform that helps users find relevant and trustworthy information about the novel coronavirus.
Engineering’s Stephanie Weirich designs tools for a safer world
Engineering’s Stephanie Weirich designs tools for a safer world
Stephanie Weirich, ENIAC President’s Distinguished Professor in Computer and Information Science, aims to make software systems more reliable, maintainable, and secure.
Language in tweets offers insight into community-level well-being
Language in tweets offers insight into community-level well-being
In a Q&A, researcher Lyle Ungar discusses why counties that frequently use words like ‘love’ aren’t necessarily happier, plus how techniques from this work led to a real-time COVID-19 wellness map.
Working to keep Penn ‘cyber safe’
Working to keep Penn ‘cyber safe’
Media hacks and data breaches are everywhere. Nick Falcone of Penn’s Office of Information Security works to keep the University’s information assets safe, from employing phishing-simulation tools to monitoring attack trends across all schools and centers.
Diving into code to illuminate the history of computing
Diving into code to illuminate the history of computing
Stephanie Dick delves deep into the practice of computer programming and design to shed light on different communities’ attempts to automate reason, knowledge, and proof.
Three Penn faculty named 2019 AAAS Fellows
Three Penn faculty named 2019 AAAS Fellows
Three from Penn have been named to the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s newest class of Fellows: Carolyn Gibson of the School of Dental Medicine, Sampath Kannan of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Ellen Puré of the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Google’s claims of quantum supremacy: Groundbreaking, overhyped, or both?
Google’s claims of quantum supremacy: Groundbreaking, overhyped, or both?
A Q&A with Lee Bassett, a scientist who works on quantum computing platforms, with insights into this feat of engineering and what the future might hold for this fast-paced field of research.
Helping Philadelphia tackle trash with technology
Helping Philadelphia tackle trash with technology
Last fall, a team of undergraduates developed a high-tech solution to help the city target one of its persistent problems: the illegal dumping of construction and trash debris.
Exploring cryptocurrency and blockchain in Iceland
Exploring cryptocurrency and blockchain in Iceland
A virtual reality film, photo series, and soundscape from Penn and Rutgers document the effect this fast-growing tech industry is having on the country’s natural resources and people.
A ‘quantum leap’ for quantum information science
A ‘quantum leap’ for quantum information science
By bringing together experts across campus and across disciplines, Penn is poised to lead ongoing efforts towards developing quantum applications using atomically-thin materials.
Media Contact
In the News
U.S. News & World Report
The AI revolution: For patients, promise and challenges ahead
Ravi Parikh of the Perelman School of Medicine said the use of machine learning in health care can be a double-edged sword. "Even though you might have an AI that's accurate on the whole, if it's mischaracterizing an outcome for a specific group of patients you really have to question whether it's worth it," he said.
FULL STORY →
CNBC
These iPhone apps know how you’ll spend and save money—even before you do
Mauro Guillén of the Wharton School weighed in on personal finance apps for smartphones. “With digital technology, the possibilities expand,” he said. “I think we’re just seeing the beginning.”
FULL STORY →
The New York Times
An algorithm that grants freedom, or takes it away
An algorithm created for the Philadelphia Adult Probation and Parole Department by Richard Berk of the School of Arts and Sciences tries to improve on human judgement by excluding data that could be a proxy for race. “All machine-learning algorithms are black boxes, but the human brain is also a black box,” he said.
FULL STORY →
Mashable.com
Experts warn smartphone voting is ‘extremely risky,’ yet here it comes
Matt Blaze of the School of Engineering and Applied Science weighed in on a Washington state district’s plans to implement smartphone voting. “This extremely risky decision runs counter to the findings of the authoritative National Academies ‘Securing the Vote’ study, which represents the consensus of experts,” he said.
FULL STORY →
PBS NewsHour
Ransomware and data breaches linked to uptick in fatal heart attacks
Ross Koppel of the School of Arts and Sciences spoke about the need for data standards in managing electronic medical records. “The classic line is that these data standards are like toothbrushes,” he said. “Everybody wants one, but they don’t want to share.”
FULL STORY →
Newsweek
A.I. is just as good as medical professionals at spotting disease, study says
Tessa Cook of the Perelman School of Medicine commented on the results of a study exploring the use of artificial intelligence in detecting disease. “Perhaps the better conclusion is that in the narrow public body of work comparing A.I. to human physicians, AI is no worse than humans, but the data are sparse and it may be too soon to tell,” she said.
FULL STORY →