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Dear UVM CEMS community,
As the Fall 2023 semester winds down and winter arrives, I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the many impressive news stories and developments happening across the college.
We recently received the exciting news that a University of Vermont-led effort to establish a US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hub focusing on advancing Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology in the Greater Burlington Area was successful. This is just the latest development in our ongoing efforts to ensure CEMS is a leader in cutting-edge research and workplace development opportunities for the expanding local semiconductor industry.
With improved advising and active learning pedagogy, our student retention and graduate rates are up. Our faculty and staff continue to garner awards and praise for their transformative research, teaching, and efforts on behalf of our community. All of this is evident in the exceptional students and alumni who are thriving on campus and in their professional careers.
Research funding has increased to an all-time high of over $28 million in 2023, creating unprecedented opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students as well as attracting and retaining our world-class faculty.
Below are examples of the impact this new research will have—much of it around creating a sustainable planet—plus interesting stories about our fantastic students, faculty, staff, and more. I hope you enjoy reading these stories and celebrating the successes of CEMS with us.
Cheers,
Dean Linda S. Schadler,
College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
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RESEARCH
Consortium with UVM, GlobalFoundries Wins Recognition as Tech Hub
A consortium led by the University of Vermont including GlobalFoundries and the State of Vermont was selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) as one of 31 national Tech Hubs. Advancing Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology in the Greater Burlington Area was selected by the Tech Hubs program from nearly 400 applications. The program aims to “strengthen U.S. economic and national security by catalyzing technology-based regional growth that enables the industries of the future to start, grow, and remain in regions across our country,” according to the EDA’s announcement of the designation, which corresponded with a live event hosted by President Biden in late October.
Instant Evolution: AI designs robots from scratch in seconds. And they walk.
One has three legs and rear fins. No engineer would come up with such a robot. But in seconds, an AI running a new algorithm did—and it walks. UVM Computer Science professor Josh Bongard and colleagues from Northwestern University, and MIT have created the first artificial intelligence that can design unique robots from scratch.
UVM and VELCO to Partner on Energy Research
The University of Vermont and Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) have signed a five-year strategic agreement to collaborate on research projects, curricular enrichment, and workforce development. The agreement’s purpose is to advance use-inspired research that helps to ensure a more resilient, affordable, and sustainable transmission system as Vermont accelerates the clean energy transition.
UVM Celebrates GlobalFoundries Day
University of Vermont (UVM) faculty, students, and staff gathered this past October alongside employees of GlobalFoundries (GF) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the culmination of their growing partnership and the launch of Vermont's first educational semiconductor lab. The groundbreaking Device Characterization Teaching Lab features a suite of scientific testing and analysis equipment donated by GF and heralds an essential phase of the ongoing initiative to prepare students to work in the rapidly expanding field of semiconductors.
UVM, MassMutual Renew Partnership to Help People Live Healthier, More Enjoyable Lives
Advancing its groundbreaking partnership with University of Vermont’s (UVM) Complex Systems Center, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced today a $4.25-million extension of funding for the MassMutual Center of Excellence for Complex Systems and Data Science. This gift will broaden a growing portfolio of world-class research projects focused on improving human wellness through data analytics.
Finding Signals in the Noise: Using Data to Develop Personalized Recipes for Health
Imagine a future where you can optimize your health and well-being by knowing roughly how many hours of sleep to get each night, how many minutes to spend in nature, and how much vigorous exercise to engage in each day. If you’re feeling anxious or sad—simply tune the dial up or down based on your individual biometric profile. That is what researchers in UVM's Complex Systems Center envision when developing the Lived Experiences Measured Using Rings Study (LEMURS)—a longitudinal study that tracks how hundreds of first-year students respond to various health interventions and incentives over the course of their college experience.
How Panels Prevail: New Solar Research Facility to Study Effects of Challenging VT Conditions
A new UVM Solar Research and Training Facility at McNeil Generating Station was unveiled this fall, energizing the study of the performance and durability of solar panels under often-challenging Vermont conditions. The facility – the result of a partnership between the University and the City of Burlington, the McNeil Joint Owners (Burlington Electric Department, Green Mountain Power and Vermont Public Power Supply Authority), Encore Renewable Energy, and Vermont Gas Systems – includes panels purchased as part of a Department of Energy (DOE)-funded UVM research project in the CEMS and will serve as a core research and training facility that will support the long-term goal of identifying industry partners interested in testing new technologies.
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STUDENTS
STEM Showcase Featured Interactive Workshops
The UVM STEM Ambassador program, a collaboration between the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and Extension 4-H, hosted a hands-on STEM Showcase for 55-plus youths ages 8-14 on Saturday, November 4. Ambassadors are UVM students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) majors and trained in experiential learning, assertion-evidence presentation style and positive youth development models, among other topics. This year’s event featured seven unique workshops including Galactic Garb; Dressing for the Stars; What floats your boat; The Amazing Boat Race; and Let’s Go for Gold: Robot Olympics, among others.
2023 Barrett Scholars Gain Valuable Experience During Engineering Internships
This past summer, nine engineering students—Zai Gluck, Emily Hall, Agusten Hoen, Ben Mays, Luca Mossman, Charlotte Perveiler, Cooper Petrie, Perry Wilson, and Lauren Waters—were provided prestigious awards through the Richard Barrett Scholars program to pursue independent research under the guidance of faculty mentors.
CEMS students attend the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference
With generous support and facilitation from the Computer Science department, CEMS Career Readiness Coordinator Holly Fosher was able to bring 5 undergraduate students and one Ph.D. student to the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference in Grapevine, Texas this fall. At Tapia, the students were able to attend three days of educational and networking experiences, including workshops and a career fair with hundreds of recruiters from Fortune 500 companies, national laboratories, and universities. Most importantly, computing students were able to meet others from across the country to build bonds and learn from each other through their experiences during dinners, affinity spaces, and interactive sessions.
Physics and Fun Converge During Partial Solar Eclipse
On Saturday, October 14th, students, staff, and faculty from the UVM Physics Department worked with the Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center and the Vermont Astronomical Society to host an eclipse viewing party. Over 500 visitors came out to Echo to see the partial solar eclipse and participate in hands-on activities facilitated by UVM and Echo.
Redesigning Evolution, One Robot at a Time
Piper Welch — a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science was recently awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. Currently working with Josh Bongard’s team of computer scientists who are designing and building “Xenobots,” the world’s first self-replication living robots, Welch uses supercomputers at the Vermont Advanced Computer Core to design and evolve swarms of xenobots.
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FACULTY AND STAFF
 CEMS’ BIPOC Excellence in STEM Program Receives INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine Award
The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). UVM is featured, along with 79 other recipients, in the September 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
 Nick Cheney Recognized for Landmark Paper
Each year SIGEVO (Special Interest Group on Genetic and Evolutionary Computation), a special interest group of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), selects one to three papers presented at the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO) held 10 years prior to receive their prestigious Impact Award— recognizing a paper whose findings are both frequently cited and considered seminal in the field of genetic and evolutionary computation. This year, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Nick Cheney along with his colleagues received the lone recognition for their 2013 paper, “Unshackling evolution: Evolving soft robots with multiple materials and a powerful generative encoding.”
The Code to a Better Textbook:
Clayton Cafiero did not set out to write a textbook when preparing his weekly lesson plans during his first semester as a senior lecturer in Computer Science, teaching the popular “Introduction to Programming” course (CS 1210). However, less than 12 months later, Cafiero received the first shipment of his self-published book, “An Introduction to Programming and Computer Science with Python.” Cafiero’s unique journey from self-taught coder to senior lecturer helped to shape his approach to the text, crafting a book that is as accessible as it is comprehensive.
Holly Fosher wins Athena Award
At the 5th annual Vermont ATHENA Leadership Awards Gala hosted by the Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce CEMS Career Readiness Coordinator Holly Fosher received the prestigious 2023 Vermont ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Inspired by the goddess of Greek mythology known for her strength, courage, wisdom, and enlightenment, the ATHENA awards are presented to a woman —or man— who is honored for professional excellence, community service, and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.
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UPCOMING
FIRST at UVM
The Vermont First Tech Challenge (FTC) State Championship will take place on Saturday, February 10 at Lamoille Union High School in Hyde Park.
Founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology, the mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
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College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
109 Votey Hall 33 Colchester Avenue
Burlington, VT 05405-0156
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