Department of Computer Science
Media Coverage

Wall Street Journal: What Makes People Abuse Robots

Nov 15, 2020

Maja Mataric was quoted as to why people may mistreat robots.

New York Times: Tracking Viral Misinformation About the 2020 Election

Nov 15, 2020

Research by Emilio Ferrara found that during the 2020 Election season 13 percent of all accounts tweeting about conspiracy theories were automated.

Nature: The next-generation bots interfering with the US election

Nov 15, 2020

Research by Emilio Ferrara on how bots were influencing discussions around the upcoming election was featured.

Venture Beat: Study identifies thousands of Twitter bots amplifying conspiracy theories ahead of the U.S. elections

Nov 02, 2020

Research by Emilio Ferrara on how bots are once again influencing discussions around the 2020 election was featured

STAT News: When AI is the Opposite of Sinister

Oct 30, 2020

STAT quoted Yolanda Gil on a new award that recognizes the positive impact of artificial intelligence.

Pasadena Star-News: Digital Contact Tracing Stalls Out Nationwide

Oct 30, 2020

Pasadena Star-News quoted Cyrus Shahabi regarding the concerns around contact tracing apps.

CNN: Wildfire-weary Californians, ‘tired of this being normal”

Oct 30, 2020

CNN featured Bistra Dilkina on how people may consider moving due to the impacts of climate change.

USC: Election 2020 Chatter on Twitter Busy with Bots and Conspiracy Theorists

Oct 28, 2020

New USC study finds that automated accounts and foreign interference are infesting social media conversations about the upcoming election.

Bloomberg: Alexander Spangher Wins Bloomberg Data Science PhD Fellowship

Oct 19, 2020

Spangher, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Computer Science at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, will use the fellowship to further his work in NLP and computational journalism.

ABC News: LA arson fires increasing amid COVID-19 pandemic

Sep 24, 2020

KABC-TV featured research by Crosstown, a collaboration between Viterbi and Annenberg, which found that arson fires in Los Angeles are on the rise.

Fox 11: School district halts distance learning after ransomware attack

Sep 24, 2020

KTTV-TV interviewed Cliff Neuman regarding a ransomware attack affected a school district.

CNN: Wildfire-weary Californians, ‘tired of this being normal,’ consider uprooting their lives

Sep 21, 2020

Computer Science Professor Bistra Dilkina, who has modeled migration patterns from sea-level rise, discusses climate-driven pressures as wildfires devastate the West Coast.

Venture Beat : AI Tool Can Plan Collision-Free Paths for 1,000 Warehouse Robots

Aug 21, 2020

USC computer science researchers and Amazon Robotics explored a solution to the problem of lifelong multi-agent path finding (MAPF), where a team of agents must be moved to constantly changing goal locations without collisions.

Digital Trends: Human Moderators Can’t Stop Online Hate Speech Alone. We Need Bots to Help

Jul 20, 2020

USC computer scientists developed a text classifier, which takes social media posts and predicts whether the text contains hate speech by looking at context as well as content.

VentureBeat: How AI can empower communities and strengthen democracy

Jul 20, 2020

Viterbi AI research that tries to help individuals who are homeless as well as robots to identify problems in infrastructure were featured

Crosstown: The day the traffic died in Los Angeles

May 28, 2020

Researchers at USC’s Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC), including Cyrus Shahabi, IMSC director and computer science professor, worked in partnership with Crosstown, a nonprofit news organization, to examine vehicle volume data across Los Angeles during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Adobe Spark: AthenaHacks 2020

May 21, 2020

AthenaHacks was founded in 2016 by a group of USC seniors, led by computer science student Kelly Lampotang, with the idea of creating a friendly hackathon event to inspire more women coders and engineers to work together.

KPCC : Digital Contract Tracing to Contain the Coronavirus

May 21, 2020

As more places across California start to reopen, contact tracing is set to play a crucial role in containing the spread of the coronavirus. Cyrus Shahabi, USC computer science professor, discusses how much of the work could be done through digital contact tracing and how it would work. (Listen ~00:19).

The World According to Namita

May 14, 2020

Namita Prakash is computer science major with a screenwriter minor

Washington Post: Your smartphone as a weapon against Coronavirus

Apr 25, 2020

Cyrus Shahabi was interviewed about a contact tracing app his team is working on to fight the spread of COVID19

Center for Cyber-Physical Systems: CCI Virtual Mini-Workshop on Digital Technologies for COVID-19

Apr 08, 2020

USC Researchers and faculty presented on how digital technologies– mobile applications, internet of things, data science, AI, and machine learning can play a role in understanding, monitoring and combatting COVID-19.

Adobe Spark: 5 Scientific Achievements Accomplished Remotely

Mar 26, 2020

How USC Viterbi researchers innovated, disrupted, and engaged new frontiers from a distance

DEN@Viterbi: Going the Distance: USC Viterbi Provides Distance Education During COVID-19

Mar 19, 2020

What Happens When All Students Become On-Line Students? Look to the Engineers.

Memo from Dean Yortsos: Facing the COVID-19 Challenge

Mar 17, 2020

Please click to view PDF

Student Advising Resources during COVID-19

Mar 17, 2020

Please visit page for more details

Click here for the USC Viterbi COVID-19 FAQ page. Visit sites.usc.edu/coronavirus/ for updates from the University.

Mar 14, 2020

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

Newsweek : Children with Autism Saw Their Learning and Social Skills Boosted After Playing with this AI Robot

Mar 05, 2020

USC computer science researchers who designed an artificially intelligent robot that helped children with autism boost their learning and social skills hope such technology could one day aid others with the developmental disorder.

Robohub: Haptics and Virtual Interactions, Podcast Interview with Heather Culbertson

Mar 02, 2020

In this podcast, Assistant Professor in Computer Science Heather Culbertson discusses haptics research, creating interactions that realistically mimic touch sensations experienced during interactions with the physical world.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

Feb 28, 2020

Please visit sites.usc.edu/coronavirus for updates

Deadline: Universal, Geena Davis Institute collaborate w/ USC SAIL to pilot Spellcheck for Bias tool

Feb 19, 2020

Tool will be deployed to support increased authentic Latinx onscreen representation and casting opportunities during the early stages of the development process

USC News: Gift from Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg helps establish new computer science building

Jan 29, 2020

Support from ophthalmologist Allen Ginsburg and his wife, Charlotte, will help computer and data science programs continue their dramatic growth.

Fast Company : This map shows where people on the coasts will flee to once sea levels rise

Jan 24, 2020

New AI-based research, led by Bistra Dilkina, projects migration patterns of people leaving coastal cities due to sea-level rise.

Dow Jones Marketwatch: How AI Could Predict the Next Disaster

Jan 23, 2020

Bistra Dilkina was interviewed about how AI as tool could help with disaster preparation and mitigation

BBC: Robots that Care: Making Tech that is a Force for Good

Jan 23, 2020

Maja Matarić was interviewed about the future for socially assistive robots as companions and coaches

Fortune: Hair-Brushing Robot Shows How Artificial Intelligence May Help the Disabled

Dec 12, 2019

A team of researchers led by assistant professor of computer science Stefanos Nikolaidis have created a robotic arm capable of brushing hair, which is designed to help physically disabled people.

Washington Post : Facebook’s ad tools subsidize partisanship, research shows. And campaigns may not even know it.

Dec 10, 2019

A new study co-authored by Aleksandra Korolova, an assistant professor of computer science at USC, found the technologies Facebook uses to put advertising it deems relevant in front of people may be more responsible for the polarization of American politics than previously understood.

USC NBSE wins major awards at regional conference

Dec 04, 2019

Fresh from its historic win last year when they brought home the trophy for National Chapter of The Year, the USC chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, or NSBE, continues to rake awards and solidify its place as one of the best student-run organizations in the nation

WIRED: Researchers built a simulator that teaches robots to assemble IKEA furniture

Nov 24, 2019

Research by Joseph Lim to train robots to assemble low-budget furniture was featured

Fast Company: This is Your Brain on Music

Nov 23, 2019

Research by the SAIL lab using AI to detect music’s effects on our brains and emotions, was featured.

NBC: Researchers Use Active Shooter Simulator to Design Safer Schools

Nov 23, 2019

Research by Burcin Bercerik Gerber, Gale Lucas of USC CENTIENTS and Erroll Southers to test building features that might thwart active shooters, was featured.

Wired: If You Want a Robot to Learn Better, Be a Jerk to It

Nov 20, 2019

When humans give robots “tough love” by trying to knock objects out of their hands, it actually helps them find the best ways to hold things, found Stefanos Nikolaidis, a USC computer science assistant professor.

Scientific American: Happy, with a 20 Percent Chance of Sadness

Nov 09, 2019

Jonathan Gratch was quoted on devices designed to predict moods.

Wall Street Journal: How to Build Robots People Can Relate To

Oct 24, 2019

As robots take on bigger roles, it’s crucial that users both trust and like them, says Professor Maja Mataric, founder and director of USC’s Interaction Lab.

Wired : Facebook’s Ad System Seems to Discriminate by Race and Gender

Oct 24, 2019

A new study from researchers at Northeastern University, the University of Southern California, and the nonprofit Upturn suggests Facebook’s ad delivery system perpetuates bias.

India Times : Professor Creates Computational Human Hand Model

Oct 24, 2019

Professor Jernej Barbic shares details about his realistic computational model of the human hand in motion.

MIT Technology Review : The world’s top deepfake artist: ‘Wow, this is developing more rapidly than I thought.’

Sep 23, 2019

Speaking at the MIT Technology Review’s EmTech conference, Hao Li shares his thoughts on the future of deepfake technology.

Information Week: Expect AI Flash Mobs of Fake News

Jul 22, 2019

Hao Li was quoted on the difficulty of detecting deepfake videos.

USA Today: Check your settings if you don’t want Google tracking every move

Jun 24, 2019

Aleksandra Korolova was quoted on how Google can track your every move.

The Orange County Register: Smart cars learning to avoid unpredictable pedestrians

Jun 20, 2019

Jeff Miller was quoted on autonomous vehicles learning to predict pedestrian movements.

Engadget: The evolution of cognitive architecture will deliver human-like AI

Jun 20, 2019

Paul Rosenbloom was quoted on the current state of artificial general intelligence research.

USC Viterbi News: The World of Games Just Got Bigger

May 10, 2019

More than 80 games from console, PC, VR, AR and mobile video games to board games and outdoor-games

USC Viterbi News: “A Ph.D. Is Our Call to Action”

May 10, 2019

USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s 2019 Ph.D. Hooding and Awards ceremony

OZY: How To Solve Homelessness With Artificial Intelligence

Apr 21, 2019

Work by CAIS using artificial intelligence to aid homeless youth in Los Angeles was featured.

Entrepreneur: 5 Simple Job Hunting Techniques to Land Your Dream Job

Mar 17, 2019

Research by Kristina Lerman (and colleagues) regarding people’s email response habits was highlighted

AI in Healthcare: AI screens for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with 85% accuracy

Mar 17, 2019

Research by Chen Zhang and Laurent Itti about new technology they developed to screen children for fetal alcohol syndrome was featured.

BBC: The new weapon in the fight against crime

Mar 04, 2019

Research by Pedro Szekely and colleagues to develop an algorithm that searches the internet for indicators of human trafficking was mentioned.

Pacific Standard: Will Autonomous Vehicles Make Us Better People?

Feb 11, 2019

Research by Jonathan Gratch on how self-driving car technology may prompt users to consider the common good instead of selfish desires was highlighted.

BBC: How eavesdropping on elephants is keeping them safe

Feb 08, 2019

An article about conserving endangered wildlife using AI, featuring projects from USC’s Center for Artificial Intelligence and Society (CAIS).

USC News: Making a game of speech therapy for kids with cerebral palsy

Feb 08, 2019

A USC computer science PhD student and physical therapy researcher teamed up to develop a unique voice-assisted device that could help children with cerebral palsy.

US News and World Report on Online Graduate Programs: USC Viterbi ranked the best program in Computer Science and tied for second in overall Engineering

Jan 14, 2019

For the 7th straight year, the CS program is the top & the overall online engineering program is in the top 5.

BBC: How your voice hides clues about your love life

Jan 14, 2019

Research by Shri Narayanan on an artificial intelligence program that predicts relationship health based on speech patterns was mentioned

LA Times: Delivery operations at papers back on track after malware attack

Dec 30, 2018

Clifford Neuman was quoted about a recent ransomware attack on newspaper delivery operations.

Smithsonian: Here’s What the Future of Haptic Technology Looks (Or Rather, Feels) Like

Dec 28, 2018

Heather Culbertson was quoted about the future application of haptic technology.

GeekWire: Geek of the Week: Gerard Medioni is a man on the Go

Dec 14, 2018

Gerard Medioni was profiled for his role at Amazon.

Science News: How Twitter bots get people to spread fake news

Dec 07, 2018

Research by Emilio Ferrara on how bots spread misinformation was featured.

Venture Beat: What Moxi the robot is learning from nurses in Texas

Dec 07, 2018

Research by Maja Matarić was mentioned in a story about a robot with social intelligence

IEEE Spectrum: To Crack the Toughest Optimization Problems, Just Add Lasers

Dec 07, 2018

Research by Leonard Adleman was mentioned in a story on machines built to solve optimization problems.

NSF: Socially assistive robots for children on the autism spectrum

Oct 30, 2018

Study by Maja Matarić and Gisele Ragusa to advance in-home socially assistive robots for children on the autism spectrum was featured

PCMag: Think AI Is Too Scary? This Expert Wants to Calm Your Fears

Oct 12, 2018

Yolanda Gil’s work was profiled by PCMag. She discussed why we need to design AI systems that have and encourage ‘ethical and responsible behaviors.’

VentureBeat: Haptic armband lets you feel the sensation of stroking

Oct 12, 2018

Heather Culbertson research on a haptic armband was featured

BusinessLIVE: Are robots the future of therapy?

Oct 12, 2018

A study by Jonathan Gratch of ICT was cited on the potential for artificial intelligence in therapy.

ScienceNews: A new computer program generates eerily realistic fake videos

Aug 14, 2018

Kyle Olszewski was quoted on a new computer program that can generate realistic fake videos of a person’s movements and expressions.

TechCrunch: Duo Security researchers’ Twitter ‘bot or not’ study unearths crypto botnet

Aug 06, 2018

Research by Emilio Ferrara of the Information Sciences Institute was quoted on monitoring Twitter conversations.

TechRepublic: Tesla’s Autopilot: Cheat sheet

Aug 01, 2018

Jeffrey Miller was quoted about existing regulations regarding the testing of self-driving vehicles.

USA Today: Why you might want to wrap your car key fob in foil

Jul 08, 2018

Clifford Neuman was quoted about the growing need to protect car fobs from being remotely accessed and used to steal vehicles.

Swarthmore College: Valero-Cuevas Receives Honorary Degree from Swarthmore

Jun 08, 2018

Francisco Valero-Cuevas was awarded an honorary degree from his alma mater, Swarthmore College for his scientific contributions. He spoke at Swarthmore’s commencement ceremony on May 27, 2018

International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence: Milind Tambe Receives IJCAI 2018 John McCarthy Award

May 23, 2018

Milind Tambe, the Helen N. and Emmett H. Jones Professor in Engineering is being recognized for research and development of important practical applications of AI and multi-agent systems for social good.

Watch the Viterbi Satellite Commencement Ceremonies Streaming

May 09, 2018

Ph.D. on 5/10 at 9am PDT, Undergraduate on 5/11 at 11am PDT, Graduate on 5/11 at 3pm PDT, Computer Science Graduate on 5/11 at 6:30pm PDT

Human Resource Executive: Tech Jobs Forge Forward

Jan 31, 2018

Nenad Medvidovic was quoted regarding the future job prospects for software developers

Fresno Bee: Teenager Develops App to Protect Farmworkers from Heat-Related Illness

Jan 30, 2018

A collaboration between USC Viterbi students and local high school student Faith Florez to develop a mobile app that alerts farmworkers to heat warnings was featured

NBC News: Surprising Ways Augmented Reality Will Revolutionize Your Life

Jan 30, 2018

Hao Li was quoted about how augmented reality games might evolve

Discover: ‘Predator’ Vision Drones Get AI to Spot Poachers

Jan 30, 2018

Research by the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society to help track poachers using artificial intelligence was featured

CNET: Robot Companions Are Just What the Doctor Ordered

Jan 30, 2018

Work by Maja Mataric and Margaret Trost of the Keck School of Medicine to develop robot-assisted therapies and socially assistive robots was featured

Wired: Driverless Cars Need Ears as Well as Eyes

Jan 30, 2018

Jeffrey Miller was quoted about recent advancements in driverless car technology and how to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians.

Microsoft: CAIS and Microsoft Announce Collaboration on AI and the Environment

Jan 08, 2018

Collaboration will support early career research and enable researchers to translate findings into applications

Happy Thanksgiving

Nov 22, 2017

From the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and it’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing – led by brilliant Professor SK Gupta, of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and of Computer Science

Wired: How One of Apple’s Key Privacy Safeguards Fall Short

Nov 03, 2017

Research by ISI’s Aleksandra Korolova and colleagues was highlighted, showing that Apple is mining users’ data in an effort to boost its “differential privacy.”

San Francisco Chronicle: Analysts Skeptical iPhone X’s Face ID will be Foolproof

Nov 03, 2017

Prem Natarajan was quoted about the security of Apple’s new facial identity feature on the iPhone X.

Wired: Why Self-Driving Cars Need Superhuman Senses

Nov 03, 2017

Jeff Miller was quoted on why self-driving cars need complex sensors to determine if there is a living object in their path.

Democrat and Chronicle: Conference Seeks to Capture the Cool in Innovation

Nov 03, 2017

The article noted that USC Games program is ranked first in the country among game development programs at universities.

VentureBeat: AI is Targeting Some of the World’s Biggest Problems: Homelessness, Terrorism, and Extinction

Nov 03, 2017

The Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society was highlighted for its efforts to address problems such as homeless youth, poaching of endangered species, and gang prevention.

Fast Company: Twitter Bots Are Thriving, And They’re More Lethal Than Ever

Nov 03, 2017

Research by Emilio Ferrara Information Sciences Institute and colleagues on the prevalence of bots on Twitter and how these bots can affect the spread of false information during an election.

Bloomberg: Big Data Shows Big Promise in Medicine

Aug 13, 2017

ISI’s Greg Ver Steeg was highlighted for his algorithm CorEx which was used to help friend and computational biologist Shirley Pepke find treatment options for her cancer diagnosis

LA Times: USC study finds that movies are still dominated by men, on- and off-screen

Aug 13, 2017

The LA Times highlighted the SAIL lab and a study on diversity and stereotypes in movie dialogues

Reuters: Amazon deepens university ties in artificial intelligence race

Mar 07, 2017

Reuters featured USC Viterbi and the Information Sciences Institute as being selected for the Amazon Alexa Fund Fellowship, a new program to support universities and researchers focused on transformative voice technologies such as text-to-speech, natural language understanding, automatic speech recognition and conversational artificial intelligence.

Department of Computer Science Media Coverage

Department of Computer Science

Department of Computer Science
Media Coverage