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Erica K. Brockmeier
Science News Officer
ekbrock@upenn.edu
Computer Science
The impact of providing hands-on, interactive projects
The impact of providing hands-on, interactive projects
With inventXYZ, President’s Innovation Prize winner Nikil Ragav has created a high-tech curriculum for high school to motivate future problem-solvers.
The world’s first general purpose computer turns 75
The world’s first general purpose computer turns 75
The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC), built at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, sparked the “birth of the computer age” thanks to a team of women programmers.
An ‘electronic nose’ to sniff out COVID-19
An ‘electronic nose’ to sniff out COVID-19
Through a newly funded grant, researchers across the University are developing a device that can rapidly detect COVID-19 based on the disease’s unique odor profile.
How Microsoft and Sony’s new consoles improve game technology
How Microsoft and Sony’s new consoles improve game technology
Marking the launch of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Penn professors and lecturers explain the significance of the new console hardware hitting the market this holiday.
Localizing epilepsy ‘hotspots’
Localizing epilepsy ‘hotspots’
Student interns worked this summer with the Davis Lab in the Penn Epilepsy Center to research improvements to epilepsy diagnosis using the tools of machine learning and network analysis.
Penn joins Public Interest Technology University Network
Penn joins Public Interest Technology University Network
As a member of PIT-UN, Penn deepens its investment in STEM training for the public good.
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.
Media Contact
In the News
KYW Newsradio (Philadelphia)
The first computer is turning 75 in Philadelphia: 'ENIAC set the stage for everything'
Penn is celebrating the 75th anniversary of ENIAC, an early computer, with a week of virtual presentations and roundtable discussions.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Made in Philadelphia, the ‘first modern computer’ is celebrated on 75th anniversary
Seventy-five years ago, the first all-electronic programmable computer was unveiled at Penn. This year, a weeklong series of events celebrates the men and women that made it possible.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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