Davis, Plane and Levin Receive CMNS Awards

Three individuals associated with the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) have been honored with awards from the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS).

Larry Davis has received the CMNS Board of Visitors (BOV) Distinguished Faculty Award, Jan Plane the BOV Creative Educator Award, and Dave Levin the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Davis, a Distinguished University professor of computer science, is being recognized for his long-standing excellence in research and scholarship in the field of computer vision.

“The University of Maryland has come to be recognized as a 'go-to' institution for up-and-coming scientists interested in expanding their knowledge-base in the field of computer vision,” says Mihai Pop, interim director of UMIACS, who co-nominated Davis for the award. “This is due in no small part to the academic expertise and leadership abilities of Larry Davis.”

Davis’s recent research involves the use of deep learning technology to help identify individuals by assessing scores of images gathered from social media and other sources. This innovative research in facial recognition technology is being funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA).

Plane, a senior lecturer in computer science and director of the Maryland Center for Women in Computing—which is partially supported by UMIACS—is being recognized for developing several innovative programs to increase participation in computer science by underrepresented groups.

“The CompSciConnect program has been a tremendous success for the young women attending, for the university in gaining significant positive exposure with regional and national corporations interested in the program, and for the discipline itself by developing a pipeline of women into a stubbornly male-dominated field,” Pop says.

Levin, an assistant professor of computer science, is being recognized for the excitement he brings to teaching.

“Dave Levin cares deeply both about his subject and his students,” wrote a student in an anonymous nomination. “He introduces new research into his slides and recommended readings to engage students in the cybersecurity research community.”

Davis, Plane and Levin will be formally recognized at the college’s Academic Festival on Friday, May 4 at 3 p.m. in the lobby of the Physical Sciences Complex.

The Distinguished Faculty Award and the Creative Educator Award—established and funded by the BOV—are selected by the Board from nominations submitted by CMNS department chairs and unit directors. Nominations for the CMNS Dean's Awards are collected from students, faculty and staff.