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Faculty

UT computer science lab announces way to make short-form content more accessible

Amy Pavel standing outside on UT Austin campus in a black button down shirt smiling at the camera.

08/09/2024 - The UT computer science lab, with faculty member Amy Pavel and recent graduate Tess Van Daele at the forefront, has developed an AI system called ShortScribe to enhance accessibility for visually impaired users of short-form videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Pavel, an assistant computer science professor and co-author of the research paper, explained that the system utilizes AI technologies such as Optical Character Recognition, Automatic Speech Transmission, and GPT-4 to segment videos, transcribe speech, and create detailed audio descriptions.

Computer Scientist Honored for Teaching Excellence

Calvin Lin sitting in a chair in the GDC atrium

05/20/2024 - Calvin Lin, a professor of computer science at The University of Texas at Austin, has won the Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Award, which celebrates outstanding postsecondary teaching. Since 1958, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, a non-profit, charitable corporation focused on postsecondary education in Texas, has selected excellent educators from four- and two-year institutions from across Texas to be named "Piper Professors" for their superior teaching at the college level.

UTPC Team Excels at International Programming Competition

Students on the UTPC team (Left to right) - Ruoshi Dai (’23, M.S.) Jiawei Li (current Ph.D.), and Stanley Wei (’23, Turing Scholar)

05/06/2024 - This past month, UTPC competed at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals hosted by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Luxor, Egypt.The competition consisted of teams from 124 regions (approx. 372 students) trying to solve 11 problems in 5 hrs. The first-place team, Peking University, solved 10 problems. The second-place team, M.I.T., solved 9 problems.UT solved 6 problems and came in 53rd place, 9th place in North America.

Transforming Human-Robot Interaction Through Mood Inducing Music

Young person lounging back with a boombox under their right foot listening to music.

05/06/2024 - Music has always had the power to stir our emotions, from the exhilaration of a fast-paced rock anthem to the melancholy of a soulful ballad. But, could the music we listen to also affect how we make decisions, especially in our interactions with robots? This intriguing question lies at the heart of a study conducted by UT Austin Assistant Professor Elad Liebman and Professor Peter Stone.

Shyamal Mitra Earns Spot in Alcalde's 2024 Texas 10

UT Computer Science Professor Shyamal Mitra

04/30/2024 - Professor Shyamal Mitra embodies a lifelong commitment to learning and resilience, transitioning from astronomy and physics to teaching computer science. Despite initial challenges and self-doubt when tasked with teaching a programming language he had yet to master, Mitra embraced the opportunity, learning alongside his students and fostering a culture of shared discovery.

Could a Robot Win the World Cup? UT Experts Explore Future of Automatons

Three Nao humanoid robots lined up on RoboCup practice field.

04/19/2024 - UT Computer Science is at the forefront of robotics innovation, aiming to propel the field forward. Highlighted in a recent article by KXAN, experts like Dr. Peter Stone and Justin Hart showcased their work, including advancements in generative AI, which is integral to tasks ranging from domestic chores to humanoid robot soccer, a part of the RoboCup Federation's ambitious goal of a robot team winning the World Cup by 2050.