Computer Science

Ayana Monroephoto by Elise Mahon

Connecting Humans and Computers

For most of her life, Ayana Monroe has been fascinated by how people and computers connect — a field called human-computer interaction. Now, as a UNC-Chapel Hill junior and Chancellor’s Science Scholar, she engages in research to improve how we use technology to acquire information. She wants to teach the next generation to do the same.
the word Cherokee switching from English to Cherokeegraphic by Corina Cudebec

The Sanctity of Cherokee

As a result of systemic oppression, there are fewer than 200 native Cherokee speakers in North Carolina. To keep the language alive and pass it to the next generation, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher and Eastern Band Cherokeean citizen Benjamin Frey has teamed up with computer scientists Mohit Bansal and Shiyue Zhang to create a new translation model and grow the literary library of works available in Cherokee.
Nihar Vaidyaphoto by Elise Mahon

Nihar Vaidya

Nihar Vaidya is a junior double-majoring in computer science and statistics and analytics within the UNC College of Arts & Sciences. He is also a Chancellor's Science Scholar. He uses computational neural networks to analyze brain patterns found in MRI data sets to predict when patients may encounter seizures caused by epilepsy.

Searching for Better Ways to Search

In 2000, researchers in the School of Information and Library Science’s Interaction Design Lab were at the forefront of information retrieval on the World Wide Web. While technology and research methods have changed in the past 20 years, the basic premise of their research has not: how people navigate the internet in search of information.
Mohit Bansalphoto by Jon Gardiner

Mohit Bansal

Mohit Bansal is the John R. & Louise S. Parker Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science within the UNC College of Arts & Sciences and a recipient of the 2020 Hettleman Award for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement. Through natural language processing and machine learning, he develops programs that help artificial intelligence technology understand and use human-like language.

The Fast and the Autonomous

In a small corner of Sitterson Hall sits a fleet of pint-size cars that can see and navigate independently, winning races for the team of UNC computer science students that created them. While the stakes are low for these high-tech toys, it's a completely different game when applied to full-size vehicles in the real world — the application of professor Parasara Sridhar Duggirala's research.
a girl wears an augmented reality headset while controlling long rods on a simulator that mimics laparoscopic surgery

Augmented Health Care

Henry Fuchs is always looking 20 years ahead, and two decades from now the computer scientist thinks augmented-reality eyeglasses will be the norm. Fuchs and his team of students and colleagues are developing an augmented-reality program to aid in laparoscopic surgery training and, maybe one day, revolutionize minimally invasive surgery.

Research Revisted

In the 28 years Endeavors was a print magazine, over 80 editions were published and featured researchers in a variety of disciplines –– from medicine to theater. The Endeavors’ team sat down with a few who formerly graced our covers to look back on their experience working with the publication.
Screen shot from the video, showing an animation of a cemetery with statues and iron gate fence

Real Sound in a Virtual World

Gaming giant Valve acquires Impulsonic — a UNC-created 3-D sound simulation software company started by two PhD students and faculty within the Department of Computer Science.
Pranavi Sanka poses on campus.Photo by Alyssa LaFaro

Pranavi Sanka

Senior Pranavi Sanka is an undergraduate researcher in the UNC College of Arts & Sciences, majoring in biology and computer science, with a minor in chemistry. Her research focuses on developing new therapies for a subset of breast cancer. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school with the goal to become a primary care physician.