Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Computer Science Lecturer
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

The Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) invites applications for a non-tenure track position at the rank of Lecturer. This full-time position begins in Fall 2022. The position may also have teaching and administrative responsibilities in the computer science program offered at The Universities at Shady Grove, in Montgomery County, Maryland.

The preferred qualification is a master’s degree in computer science or a closely related discipline. Ideal candidates will also have evidence of strong organizational skills. Experience in academia, industry, and government will be considered in the evaluation of the candidate. Candidates who have had a non-academic career with a demonstrated commitment to teaching are encouraged to apply and may want to emphasize their industry experience.

The Lecturer position is renewable. Lecturers teach a wide range of courses, primarily at the undergraduate level. They advise students, mentor teaching assistants, and help shape departmental practices and policies. Lecturers are expected to continue their professional growth and will have the opportunity to be promoted through the ranks of Senior Lecturer and Principal Lecturer.  

The CSEE Department is large and growing, with a diverse community of over 2,000 undergraduate majors in computer science and computer engineering.  Professors of the Practice, along with Lecturers and a cadre of tenure-track faculty, are the driving force behind the department’s broad effort to ensure a quality education for our undergraduates: working to improve computing education, curriculum, diversity, and student support. CSEE faculty collaborate with the Center for Women in Technology to increase the diversity of those who create technology, with programs designed for women in computing and engineering and transfer students from underrepresented groups.  In addition to our undergraduate programs, the department has graduate programs in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, cybersecurity, and data science. Our faculty enjoy collaboration within the department, across departments, and with partners outside the university. 

UMBC is a research-intensive university that is leading the world in inclusive excellence in research and teaching. We are redefining how to teach and we are one of the most innovative universities in the Nation: According to the 2021 US News and World Best Colleges Report, UMBC is ranked 6th in the Most Innovative Schools category and 6th in Best Undergraduate Teaching category. Our research is bold, cross-disciplinary, and leverages our location near to the hospitals in Baltimore, NIH, NASA, NSF, and the USGS. Inclusive excellence also means being a strong community partner in Baltimore, and the UMBC Shriver Center and Center for Democracy and Civil Life help forge and maintain connections. Social justice is core to our role in Baltimore, Maryland, and beyond.

Our UMBC community redefines excellence in higher education through an inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning, research across disciplines, and civic engagement. We advance knowledge, economic prosperity, and social justice by welcoming and inspiring inquisitive minds from all backgrounds. To continue to support this goal, the Faculty Development Center leads the Nation in supporting and guiding faculty in their educational mission with regular workshops and pedagogical demonstrations. In the 2021 Chronicle of Higher Education Great Colleges to Work For rankings, UMBC is on the list for the 12th year in a row and is in the Honor roll for the 10th year.

UMBC’s campus is located on 500 acres just off I-95 between Baltimore and Washington DC, and less than 10 minutes from the BWI airport and Amtrak station. The campus includes the bwtech@UMBC research and technology park, which has special programs for startups focused on cybersecurity, clean energy, life sciences, and training. We are surrounded by one of the largest concentrations of commercial, cultural, and scientific activity in the nation. Located at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore has all the advantages of modern, urban living, including professional sports, major art galleries, theaters, and a symphony orchestra. The city’s famous Inner Harbor area is an exciting center for entertainment and commerce. The nation’s capital, Washington, DC, is a great tourist attraction with its historical monuments and museums. Just ten minutes from downtown Baltimore and 30 minutes from the D.C. Beltway, UMBC offers easy access to the region’s resources by car or public transportation. UMBC is one of nine institutions represented at The Universities at Shady Grove, a consortium of universities within the University System of Maryland, located in Rockville, MD.

Applications are accepted on Interfolio. The initial application consists of the candidate’s curriculum vitae or resume, a brief statement describing the candidate’s teaching experience, and a statement describing how the candidate will contribute to UMBC’s commitment to inclusive excellence. Promising candidates will be asked to supply three letters of recommendation and teaching evaluations. For full consideration, please submit application materials by January 15th, 2022.  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  Questions regarding the positions or the application process may be directed to the chair of the search committee at .

UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Computer Science Professor
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

The Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) invites applications for an open-rank, tenured/tenure-track position in Computer Science to begin in the Fall of 2022. We are committed to inclusive excellence and innovation and welcome applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. UMBC is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

The College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) at UMBC crosses the boundaries of engineering, computing, and information disciplines to develop research and educational programs that engage faculty, students, and staff from all of the disciplines. COEIT is deeply committed to the success of all of our faculty. We have formal programs including “launch committees” to encourage regular and structured mentorship for faculty to start successfully, mentoring programs to provide support in the longer term, shared services for grant finance support, grant writing and editing support, monthly gatherings in which faculty share lunch and community, and we encourage all of our faculty to participate in the university’s eminent scholar mentor program to build relationships with leaders in the field beyond UMBC. You can read more about these programs and our Diversity & Inclusion initiatives on our website.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) community redefines excellence in higher education through an inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning, research across disciplines, and civic engagement. We advance knowledge, economic prosperity, and social justice by welcoming and inspiring inquisitive minds from all backgrounds. According to the 2021 US News and World Best Colleges Report, UMBC placed 6th in the Most Innovative Schools category and 6th in the Best Undergraduate Teaching category. To continue to support this goal, the Faculty Development Center leads the Nation in supporting and guiding faculty in their educational mission with regular workshops and pedagogical demonstrations. In the 2021 Chronicle of Higher Education Great College to Work For rankings, UMBC is on the list for the 12th year in a row and is in the Honor roll for the 10th year.

UMBC is a research-intensive university that is leading the world in inclusive excellence in research and teaching. We are redefining how to teach, and we are one of the most innovative universities in the nation, according to US News. Our research is bold, cross-disciplinary, and leverages our location near the hospitals in Baltimore, NIH, NASA, NSF, and USGS. Inclusive excellence also means being a strong community partner in Baltimore, and the UMBC Shriver Center and Center for Democracy and Civil Life help forge and maintain connections. Social justice is core to our role in Baltimore, Maryland, and beyond.

UMBC’s campus is located on 500 acres just off I-95 between Baltimore and Washington DC, and less than 10 minutes from the BWI airport and Amtrak station. The campus includes the bwtech@UMBC research and technology park, which has special programs for startups focused on cybersecurity, clean energy, life sciences, and training. We are surrounded by one of the greatest concentrations of commercial, cultural, and scientific activity in the nation. Located at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore has all the advantages of modern, urban living, including professional sports, major art galleries, theaters, and a symphony orchestra. The city’s famous Inner Harbor area is an exciting center for entertainment and commerce. The nation’s capital, Washington, DC, is a great tourist attraction with its historical monuments and museums. Just ten minutes from downtown Baltimore and 30 from the D.C. Beltway, UMBC offers easy access to the region’s resources by car or public transportation.

Qualifications

Applicants should have or be completing a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline, have demonstrated the ability to pursue a funded research program, have a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching, and have a strong commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence. Candidates will be expected to build and lead a team of student researchers, obtain external research support, and teach both graduate and undergraduate courses. We welcome applications that can build and expand upon the areas of specialization in Computer Science.

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit a cover letter, a statement of research experience and interests, a statement of teaching experience and interests, a statement of commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence, a CV, and three letters of recommendation at Interfolio.

For full consideration, please submit application materials by January 15th, 2022. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please send questions to and see http://csee.umbc.edu/jobs for more information.

Application Process

This institution is using Interfolio’s Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.

UMBC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

ArtIAMAS Seminar Series, Co-organized by UMBC, UMCP, and the Army Research Lab

Building Resilience against Cyberattacks

Aryya Gangopadhyay, UMBC

12-1 PM ET Wednesday, 15 December 15, 2021
Online via webex

In this talk, we will address the issue of building resilient systems in the face of cyberattacks. We will present a defense mechanism for cyberattacks using a three-tier architecture that can be used to secure army assets and tactical information. The top tier represents the front-end where autonomous sensing and inferencing through AI models take place by UAVs, UGVs, etc. We will illustrate how models can be defended against data poisoning attacks. In the middle tier, we focus on building cyber defense against attacks in federated learning environments, where models are trained on a large corpus of decentralized data without transferring raw data over a communication channel. The bottom tier represents back-end servers that train deep learning models with large amounts of data that can subsequently be pushed to the edge for inferencing. We will demonstrate how adaptive models can be developed for detecting and preventing various types of attacks at this level.

Dr. Aryya Gangopadhyay is a Professor in the Information Systems department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Gangopadhyay has a courtesy appointment as a Professor in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at UMBC. He is also the Director of the Center for Real-time Sensing and Autonomy (CARDS) at UMBC. His research interests include adversarial machine learning at the edge, cybersecurity, and smart cities. He has graduated 16 Ph.D. students and is currently mentoring several others at UMBC. He has published over 125 peer-reviewed research articles and has received extramural support from ARL, NSF, NIST, the Department of Education, and IBM.

UMBC CSEE Professor Mohamed Younis has been elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for his contributions to protocols, architecture, and analysis of multi-hop wireless networks.  IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious grade elevation.

Dr. Younis is currently a professor and associate chair for UMBC’s Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department. Previously he served as the director of UMBC’s Computer Engineering graduate program. Before joining UMBC, he was with Honeywell International Inc., where he led multiple projects to build integrated fault-tolerant avionics and dependable computing infrastructure and participated in developing the Redundancy Management System for the Vehicle and Mission Computer for NASA’s X-33 space launch vehicle.

Dr. Younis’ technical interest includes network architectures and protocols, wireless sensor networks, embedded systems, fault-tolerant computing, secure communication, and distributed real-time systems. He has published over 300 technical papers in refereed conferences and journals and has seven granted and three pending patents. In addition, he serves or has served on the editorial board of multiple journals and the organizing and technical program committees of numerous conferences.

The IEEE Board of Directors confers the IEEE Grade of Fellow upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number selected in any one year cannot exceed one-tenth of one- percent of the total voting membership. IEEE Fellow is the highest grade of membership and is recognized by the technical community as a prestigious honor and a significant career achievement.

The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab presents

Shadow IT in Higher Education: Survey and Case Study for Cybersecurity

Selma Gomez Orr, Cyrus Jian Bonyadi, Enis Golaszewski, and Alan T. Sherman
UMBC Cyber Defense Lab

Joint work with Peter A. H. Peterson (University of Minnesota Duluth), Richard Forno, Sydney Johns, and Jimmy Rodriguez

12-1:00 pm, Friday, 3 December 2021, online via WebEx

We explore shadow information technology (IT) at institutions of higher education through a two-tiered approach involving a detailed case study and comprehensive survey of IT professionals. In its many forms, shadow IT is the software or hardware present in a computer system or network that lies outside the typical review process of the responsible IT unit. We carry out a case study of an internally built legacy grants management system at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County that exemplifies the vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting and SQL injection, typical of such unauthorized and ad-hoc software. We also conduct a survey of IT professionals at universities, colleges, and community colleges that reveals new and actionable information regarding the prevalence, usage patterns, types, benefits, and risks of shadow IT at their respective institutions.

Further, we propose a security-based profile of shadow IT, involving a subset of elements from existing shadow IT taxonomies, that categorizes shadow IT from a security perspective. Based on this profile, survey respondents identified the predominant form of shadow IT at their institutions, revealing close similarities to findings from our case study.

Through this work, we are the first to identify possible susceptibility factors associated with the occurrence of shadow IT-related security incidents within academic institutions. Correlations of significance include the presence of certain graduate schools, the level of decentralization of the IT department, the types of shadow IT present, the percentage of security violations related to shadow IT, and the institution’s overall attitude toward shadow IT. The combined elements of our case study, profile, and survey provide the first comprehensive view of shadow IT security at academic institutions, highlighting the tension between its risks and benefits, and suggesting strategies for managing it successfully.

Dr. Selma Gomez Orr ( ) received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in the field of decision sciences. She also holds Masters degrees in applied mathematics, engineering sciences, and business administration, also from Harvard. She has worked in the private sector in the fields of cybersecurity and data analytics. Most recently, as a CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) Scholar, Dr. Orr completed a Master’s of Professional Studies in both cybersecurity and data science at UMBC.

Cyrus Jian Bonyadi ( ) is a computer science Ph.D. student and former SFS scholar studying consensus theory at UMBC under the direction of Alan T. Sherman, Sisi Duan, and Haibin Zhang.

Enis Golaszewski ( ) is a Ph.D. student at UMBC under Alan T. Sherman where he studies, researches, and teaches cryptographic protocol analysis. A former SFS scholar, Golaszewski helps lead annual research studies that analyze and break software at UMBC.

Dr. Alan T. Sherman () is a professor of computer science, director of CDL, and associate director of UMBC’s Cybersecurity Center. His main research interest is high-integrity voting systems. Sherman earned the Ph.D. degree in computer science at MIT in 1987 studying under Ronald L. Rivest.

Host: Alan T. Sherman, . Support for this event was provided in part by the National Science Foundation under SFS grant DGE-1753681. The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1 pm. All meetings are open to the public. Upcoming CDL Meetings: Feb 4, Filipo Sharevski

UMBC Computer Science Students Learn About Quantum Algorithms

UMBC computer science graduate students now gain an introduction to quantum algorithms in the required core course CMSC-641 Design and Analysis of Algorithms.  Professor Alan T. Sherman and his colleagues–including Professors Sam Lomonaco (computer science) and Linda Oliva (education)—are piloting a two-week unit on quantum algorithms.  With support from a Hrabowski Innovation Fund award, the team created six modules, each comprising a video, hands-on activities, and readings.  Using the flipped classroom, students watch the videos before coming to class prepared to engage actively in programming the QUIRK quantum circuit simulator and the IBM Q quantum computer using the Qiskit software development kit.

Quantum algorithms running on quantum computers offer the potential to solve complex problems with dramatically reduced execution time and energy consumption. For example, Shor’s quantum algorithm for factoring integers runs in polynomial time, faster than any known algorithm for classical computers. Shor’s algorithm offers the future potential to break the widely-used RSA cryptosystem. Whereas classical computers use discrete 1’s and 0’s to perform calculations, quantum computers use Q-bits, which involve complex numbers and can simultaneously be 0 or 1.

Based on quantum physics, quantum computers operate in a strange universe that includes the curious and potentially useful effects of superposition and entanglement. In pursuit of transformative potential advantages, government and private industry are investing significantly in quantum computer technologies.  All computer science students need to know about these vital emerging technologies.

Whereas there exist full courses in quantum computation or quantum algorithms, Sherman’s innovation is to develop a two-week unit focused sharply on quantum algorithms targeted at computer science graduate students.  The unit highlights three quantum algorithms: Deutsch-Jozsa, Simon, and Shor. To keep the unit manageable within 15 hours of work per week per student, the unit focuses sharply on background sufficient to understand the fundamentals of these three algorithms.

Additional members of the team include graduate students Marc Laczin and Siddharth Chandrasekaran, and Dr. Omar Shehab (IBM), a former Ph.D. student of Dr. Lomonaco.

NSA Codebreaker challenge and student opportunities Webinar

4-6 pm EDT Thursday, 9 September 2021, Online

Register Here

NSA will hold an NSALive Adobe Webinar on Thursday, September 9, 2021, from 4-6 pm EDT to learn about the National Security Agency and Student Program opportunities, as well as a deep dive into the 2021 Codebreaker Challenge. Register for the online session here.

The Codebreaker Challenge is the NSA’s annual cybersecurity and cryptanalysis challenge with a realistic, NSA mission-centric scenario open to U.S-based academic institutions. The 2021 challenge is open now and runs through December 31, 2021.

While the challenge is intended for students, faculty are encouraged to participate as well. Furthermore, the site was designed to make it easy for those faculty interested in incorporating the challenge into their courses (see the additional FAQ entries below.)

The 2021 Codebreaker Challenge consists of a series of tasks worth a varying amount of points based upon their difficulty. Schools will be ranked according to their students’ total number of points with the current ranking shown on a leaderboard. Solutions may be submitted at any time for the duration of the Challenge.

While not required, it is recommended that participants solve tasks in order since they flow with the storyline. Later tasks may rely on artifacts or inputs from earlier tasks. Each task in the 2021 challenge will require a range of skills. You will need to call upon all of your technical expertise, intuition, and common sense.

Donna Ruginski and bwtech@UMBC finalists for CAMI’s Maryland Cybersecurity Awards

Congratulations to UMBC’s Donna Ruginski and bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park for their selection as finalists in the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland’s Fifth Annual Maryland Cybersecurity Awards.

Donna Ruginski is a finalist for the Cyber Warrior Woman Award, which honors a woman doing extraordinary or exemplary work in Maryland’s cybersecurity industry. She is UMBC’s Executive Director for Cybersecurity Initiatives in the Office of the Vice President for Research. She is responsible for the strategic positioning and growth of UMBC’s cybersecurity partnerships, research, and programs.

The bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park is a finalist for the Cybersecurity Industry Resource Award, which celebrates a non-cybersecurity business, organization, academic institution, or government agency that has significantly contributed to Maryland’s cybersecurity industry through its products, services, or mission.

Finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges represented by leaders in a variety of fields. One winner from each category will be announced at the Maryland Cybersecurity Awards Celebration on September 22, 2021, 5 PM – 8 PM at Maryland Live! Casino.

All finalists are automatically entered into the People’s Choice Award category. The public is invited to vote online to determine who will receive the coveted Cybersecurity People’s Choice Award. The winner will be announced during the virtual Awards Celebration on September 22, 2021. Vote for your choice here.

The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, Inc. (CAMI) is a statewide nonprofit organization established in 2015. It is Maryland’s only organization dedicated 100% to the growth of Maryland’s cybersecurity industry. 

UMBC redesignated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense

UMBC has been redesignated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through the academic year 2028.

The CAE-CD designation indicates that UMBC is helping reduce threats to our national infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and providing the nation with a pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals. UMBC is also designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R), which signifies that UMBC increases the understanding of robust cyber defense technology, policy, and practices that will enable our Nation to prevent and respond to a catastrophic event.

The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program is managed by the National Cryptologic School at the National Security Agency. Federal Partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education (NICE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer (DoD-CIO), and US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM).

The NCAE-C program’s mission is to create and manage a collaborative cybersecurity educational program with community colleges, colleges, and universities that

• Establishes standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence,
• Includes competency development among students and faculty,
• Values community outreach and leadership in professional development, 
• Integrates cybersecurity practice within the institution across academic disciplines,
• Actively engages in solutions to challenges facing cybersecurity education.

UMBC offers courses, a track, and concentrations focused on cybersecurity in its Computer Science and Information Systems programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, UMBC has several major cybersecurity-oriented scholarship programs to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in an increasingly digital age, focusing on increasing the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in this fast-growing field. These include the UMBC Cyber Scholars program, CyberCorps: Scholarships For Service (SFS) program, and DOD Cyber Scholarship Program (CySP). Applications for SFS cybersecurity scholarships to begin in Fall 2022 are due via Scholarship Retriever by 12noon November 15, 2021.

UMBC also has professional cybersecurity programs that include certificate programs as well as a Master’s of Professional Studies (MPS) degree at its campuses in Catonsville (UMBC main campus) and Rockville (UMBC at the Universities at Shady Grove). UMBC Training Centers offers cybersecurity courses for both individuals and organizations.

Cybersecurity research at UMBC occurs in many of its laboratories and in the UMBC Center for Cybersecurity (UCYBR), which recently merged with UMBC’s original cybersecurity center, the UMBC Center for Information Security and Assurance (CISA).

NSA Codebreaker Challenge 2021 Now Open

NSA’s annual Codebreaker Challenge offers students a closer look at the type of work done at NSA and provides the opportunity to develop skills needed to achieve the Agency’s national security mission. The problems touch on skills like software reverse engineering, cryptanalysis, exploit development, blockchain analysis, and more. It gives students a hands-on opportunity to develop their reverse-engineering/low-level code analysis skills while working on a realistic problem set centered around the NSA’s mission.

The Challenge is open now and will run until a date late in December. Anyone with an email address from a recognized U.S. school or university may participate. While the challenge is intended for students, faculty are encouraged to participate as well. Furthermore, the site was designed to make it easy for those faculty interested in incorporating the challenge into their courses to do so (see the additional FAQ entries below.)

The 2021 Codebreaker Challenge consists of a series of tasks that are worth a varying amount of points based upon their difficulty. Schools will be ranked according to the total number of points accumulated by their students with the current ranking shown on a leaderboard. Solutions may be submitted at any time for the duration of the Challenge.

While not required, it is recommend that you solve tasks in order, since they flow with the storyline. Later tasks may rely on artifacts / inputs from earlier tasks. Each task in the 2021 challenge will require a range of skills. You will need to call upon all of your technical expertise, your intuition, and your common sense.

NSA provides some helpful resources to get you on the right track with the 2021 Challenge. The list as a starting point. It’s not exhaustive, and you’ll definitely need to do additional research on your own. There are things in this list that aren’t actually part of this year’s challenge. Once you register, you will be able to join the Community of Practice Discord server for the 2021 Codebreaker Challenge. NSA will also hold two technical talks this Fall, giving you a chance to hear from some of NSA’s experts.