Recent advances in hardware and algorithms (especially in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science) as well as heightened interest in related issues such as algorithmic fairness, software reliability and correctness, ubiquitous computing, and the economic and societal risks of poorly secured software have all served to highlight the importance of core computer science research. Our faculty eagerly engage in cutting-edge externally funded core computer science research, producing new methods and technologies that advance the discipline, enable novel practical applications, and are proven drivers of economic growth. Because advances in computing also have outside impact on other disciplines, our faculty also routinely collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects with colleagues from, e.g., CLAS, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Education.

The faculty and students of the Computer Science Department at the University of Iowa conducts world class research in the areas of CS Education, Informatics, Programming Languages, Systems, and Theory. Learn more about each of our areas of expertise, the faculty, and the labs using the links in the included menu.

Both UI and non-UI undergraduate students may also apply for our departmental REU program entitled "Computing for Health and Well-being."

Computer Science Research Groups

Computational Epidemiology Research Group

The CompEpi group's research involves the use of computational tools to model, simulate, visualize and, in general, understand the spread of disease to better inform public and hospital policy decisions with respect to disease surveillance, disease prevention measures, and outbreak containment.

Faculty: Chipara, Cremer, Herman, Pemmaraju, Polgreen, Segre

Computational Logic Center

The Computational Logic Center at The University of Iowa seeks to advance the theory and practice of correct software development, by applying techniques from logic, programming languages, and automated theorem proving.

Faculty: Morris, Stump, Tinelli

Data Mining at Iowa Group

The Data Mining Iowa Group (DMIG) is an academic space for presenting, discussing, and improving cutting-edge research projects conducted by members and/or by leading experts in Data Mining, Information Systems, and Business Analytics. The research group is hosted by the Business Analytics Department and welcomes participation from students and faculty across the university.

Faculty: Street (With Management Sciences), Zhou (Management Sciences)

Hank Virtual Environments Lab

The Hank Virtual Environments Lab focuses on using virtual environments to study human perception and action. There are two main foci of this research program. One is understanding how children and adults negotiate traffic-filled intersections in our virtual environment. The other is understanding how people perceive and adapt to virtual environments. The overarching goal of this multidisciplinary project is to advance the fields of behavioral science and computer science through our study of human behavior in real and virtual environments.

Faculty: Kearney

Health and wellness Computer Human Interaction Lab (HawCHI Lab)

In the HawCHI Lab, we focus on the design, implementation and evaluation of technologies that support quality of life for people from a variety of age groups and abilities. Specifically, we focus on health, wellness, creativity, collaboration and information access using mainstream technologies.

Faculty: Hourcade

High-Performance Computing (HPC) System Group (IOWA-HPC)

The mission of IOWA-HPC lab is to advance the performance and reliability of the next generation HPC systems for large-scale machine learning, scientific computing, and data mining applications through compiler, program analysis, and AI-directed approaches.
 
Faculty: Jiang, Li

Mobile Systems Laboratory (MSL)

MSL performs cutting-edge research on wireless sensor networks, embedded systems and cyber-physical systems that cross-cut computing, networking and other engineering disciplines.

Faculty: Chipara, Herman, Segre

Optimization, Machine Learning and High Performance Computing

Optimization, Machine Learning and High Performance Computing focuses on applications with large amounts of data where new optimization or parallel algorithms are essential. Recent Projects include: Machine Learning and  Genetics, Neural Networks and Educational data, Theoretical Foundations of Neural Networks.

Faculty: Oliveira

 

Retrocomputing and Historic Computer Restoration

The retrocomputing group's current work focuses on the restoration of a classic PDP-8 computer that was delivered to the University of Iowa psychology department in early 1966 and has been idle for over 30 years.

Faculty: Jones

Sentinels for Privacy-Aware and Responsible Technological Advancement (SPARTA)

At SPARTA, we enjoy working towards improving privacy, accountability, and safety of Internet-connected emerging technologies and platforms. Beyond technical research and solutions, the team is also interested in achieving a better understanding of the underlying economic, social, legal, and ethical issues that make online privacy, accountability, and safety difficult to achieve.

Faculty: Nithyanand