Research News

October 22, 2025

Krystal Zhang, PhD Student in Human-Centered Computing, has a paper published at the ACM Conference

Krystal Zhang, advised by Dr. Foad Hamidi, has published a full paper at the ACM Conference, entitled, “Small Devices, Large Changes: Investigating the Impact of a University-Government 3D-Printed Assistive Technology Program on Residents with Disabilities.” This paper examines the long-term impact of a statewide DIY-Assistive Technology (DIY-AT) program that the authors’ lab (DARE Lab) launched in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Disability, Technology Assistance Program (MDTAP). This program provides free 3D-printed assistive devices to Maryland residents who may not otherwise have access to the tools they need for daily living.

Collaborators include Dr. Erin Higgins and Vannessa Morant.

Key findings of research:

• The study explored the long-term impact of a university-government partnership that distributed free 3D-printed assistive technology (AT) devices to Maryland residents with disabilities.
• The study highlights how 3D printing can lower barriers to AT access while fostering public trust, independence, and community engagement.
• Interviews with device recipients revealed not only improved daily living but also increased interest in participating in DIY making and advocacy.
• The findings emphasize the role of academic labs in public service, especially through cross-sector collaboration and low-cost fabrication.
• This work demonstrates how accessible technology, when designed and distributed equitably, can meaningfully support underserved communities.

Conference: International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2025)

Visit the ACM Digital Library for full paper

Five Accepted for Publications around Computing Education Research

Through his ongoing collaborative research with colleagues at Florida International University, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and his graduate research assistants, Dr. Edward Dillon has recently produced five articles accepted for publication in leading computing and higher education venues, including IEEE Frontiers in Education (3), the Association for the Study of Higher Education (1), and the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (1). Many of these publications arise from research projects supported by the National Science Foundation. In November, Dr. Dillon, along with three of his graduate research assistants, will present some of this work at the 2025 IEEE Frontiers in Education conference in Nashville.

Conferences: IEEE – Frontiers in Education; Association for the Study for Higher Education (ASHE); ACM – Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education; Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (Award #: 2517413)

August 30, 2025

A Survey of Post-Quantum Cryptography Support in Cryptographic Libraries

Nadeem Ahmed publishes paper examining the state of post-quantum algorithm support in widely used open-source cryptographic libraries, with the main focus on implementations of the NIST PQC finalists.

In collaboration with Dr. Aryya Gangopadhyay.

Conference: IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)

August 18, 2025

CyQuaPro: A Stackelberg Game Framework for Cyberdefense for Distributed Systems

Neil Kpamegan publishes paper proposing new algorithm called Cyber Quadratic Programming (CyQuaAPro) to solve the optimization problem, considering factors such as target correlation, asset value, and budget constraints. Their model demonstrates robustness and scalability across multiple scenarios, providing practical insights into resource prioritization and defensive strategy optimization in complex interconnected systems.

Stackelberg Game theory can be applied to effectively defend cyber and distributed assets against cyber attacks. This has both civilian and defense use.

In collaboration with Dr. Aryya Gangopadhyay.

This research is partially funded by the ArtIAMAS Cooperative Agreement, 2021-2026.

Proceedings of Game Theory and AI for Cybersecurity. Lecture Notes in Computer Science LNCS, volume 16223, pp. 103-120, 2025.

Dr. Carolyn Seaman receives National Science Foundation award for research on teaching software technical debt
June 15, 2025

Carolyn Seaman and colleagues at the University of Alabama and Virginia Commonwealth University have received a new NSF award to build and evaluate a curriculum and pedagogical tool aimed at teaching computing students how to identify, correct, and manage software technical debt. Technical debt refers to shortcomings in software artifacts (such as code, tests, documentation) that do not immediately appear as defects, but that over time erode the ability to maintain the software and keep it useful. Managing technical debt is a crucial skill for software engineers to have in order to manage evolving software systems.

This three-year project will result in a three-stage curriculum model, with teaching materials for use in early programming courses, mid-level software engineering courses, and advanced project management courses. Some of the curriculum will be piloted in courses in the IS department, and the entire curriculum will be available at the end of the project to use in both IS and CS courses.

Collaborators include: Rodrigo Spinola, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Jeffrey Carver, University of Alabama

Srikar Sistla, Information Systems graduate student, presents poster at Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Early Career Symposium
September 17, 2025

Srikar conducted research with Kylie Carter, UMBC undergraduate bio student, on predicting drug-induced autoimmunity using random forest algorithm.

Sri Kavya Penta extended abstract accepted for poster presentation at Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Early Career Symposium
September 17, 2025

This research explored parameter tuning for Support Vector Machines when used to predict student addiction potential. UMBC IS students, Sri Kavya Penta and Elaina Owens contributed to the project.

Key aspects of the research found near optimal parameters for Support Vector Machines construction to predict student addiction potential.

Somita Chaudhari, Information Systems graduate student, presents poster at Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Early Career Symposium
September 17, 2025

Somita submitted an extended abstract to the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research’s Early Career Symposium. Tiffany Brown of UMGC was a co-author. The abstract was presented as a poster on September 17, 2025.

The research proposed how Convolutional Neural Networks can be up to 95% effective in identify pharmaceutical pills from an image.

Dr. Fiona Bell’s B10-PR1NT project on sustainable biomaterials for 3D printing has been featured in two art exhibitions this fall
September 26, 2025

Dr. Fiona Bell’s B10-PR1NT project on sustainable biomaterials for 3D printing has been featured in two art exhibitions this fall. “Living Matter Shaping Futures” at NYC’s BioBAT Art Space and “Biogenic Futures: Women Shaping Material Ecologies” at the University of Colorado Art Museum, both highlight innovative research and design being done at the intersection of biology, technology, and art.

B10-PR1NT is a collection of 3D-printed forms that are bio-inspired, bio-based, and bio-degradable. Each biomaterial is derived from local waste streams (e.g., eggshells, fallen leaves, sawdust, orange peels) to create pastes that can be extruded from 3D printers. Our process diverts local biomaterials away from becoming waste by repurposing them into objects created using code and a clay 3D printer. We generate parametric forms inspired by tree trunks, garlic cloves, and sea shells that function as birdhouses, plant pots, and vessels. At the end of their lives, the forms can be returned to the Earth, where they take around 30-90 days to break down and release their nutrients back into the soil. They highlight the importance of regenerative and temporary art and objects in a world that is constantly generating waste. They challenge us to consider how art and science can participate in circular processes with benefits beyond the immediate present.

Collaborators: Camila Friedman-Gerlicz, University of New Mexico, Lauren Urenda, University of New Mexico, and Leah Buechley, University of New Mexico

Dr. Michael Brown Q&A with Operational Database Management Systems on Teaching MySQL
October 10, 2025

In a recent Q&A, Dr. Brown reflected on MySQL’s growing role in database education. He highlighted how easier installation and integration into the Oracle cloud helped MySQL become a teaching mainstay. Drawing on decades of teaching experience and industry insight, he shared strategies for engaging students through hands-on, real-world projects, empowering them to design their own applications and build market-ready skills. MySQL, he emphasized, continues to offer an accessible pathway for learners worldwide to enter and succeed in the technology field.

Visit the ODBMS website to read the article

Ph.D. Candidate Hasan Mahmud Prottoy has paper published at ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing 2025
October 22, 2025

A full paper by Ph.D. Candidate Hasan Mahmud Prottoy, advised by Dr. Foad Hamidi and collaborated with Dr. Yaxing Yao, was presented at ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing 2025 (CSCW 25), held in Oct 18-22, 2025 Bergen, Norway. It was published as a journal article at Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, in May 2025. The paper examines the informal online practices by users to access subscription-based services in Bangladesh where infrastructural difficulties like international payment barrier create a digital access issue.

Paper abstract: As online access to entertainment, education, news, and information increasingly becomes mitigated through subscription-based services, it is important to study how inequities in access impact users in low and middle-income countries (LMICS), and what infrastructuring strategies they employ to overcome obstacles. In this paper, we present findings from an interview study with 22 participants from Bangladesh who use and share online subscription-based services. Due to the lack of availability and limitations using formal international payment methods, procedural difficulties, and infrastructural challenges in Bangladesh, we found an emergence of a distinct informal ecosystem of accessing, sharing, and using subscription-based services. We report a detailed analysis of the adoption, sharing practices, and dynamics of sharing online subscription-based services in Bangladesh, that builds on and extends previous HCI literature on informality, informal marketplace, intermediaries, and media sharing in the Global South. Our findings show how a vibrant and growing user base of subscription-based online services is using creative and sometimes risky ways to gain access to media and information through informal intermediaries and administrators. Finally, we discuss potential directions for practice and policy innovations that include facilitating international payments for online services and platforms and reconsidering their policies and service delivery mechanisms to better support users in the Global South context.

Collaborators include: Dr. Yaxing Yao, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Foad Hamidi, Associate Professor, UMBC

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction. Volume 9, Issue 2