Information and Computing Technology

A UB 2020 Academic and Strategic Strength

Research Centers and Collaborating Departments

Faculty involved with Information & Computing Technology come from a wide range of academic departments, including (but not limited to):

In addition, this strategic strength involves work with numerous affiliated research centers:

The Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR)
The Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR) is internationally renowned for its pioneering research in handwriting recognition and delivering field installed solutions for handwritten address interpretation in the US, UK, and Australia. Funded primarily by the United States Postal Service, research at the center spans the areas of pattern recognition, machine learning, data mining, information retrieval, and computational linguistics.

CEDAR has generated $65M in funding since its inception. It has consistently sustained funding for 21 years from government and industry and has delivered solutions for field installations in the USPS, IRS, Lockheed, and Siemens. CEDAR has made several contributions with worldwide impact, including the first automation of the processing of handwritten addresses by the Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Service, UK Royal Mail and Australia Post.

The Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors (CUBS)
The focus of the research at the Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors (CUBS) is the development of end-to-end biometric systems that integrate user interface technologies, informatics, sensing materials and technologies, and electronic devices. These applications range from human health monitoring systems to cyber security, and access and control. CUBS has expertise in combining multiple biometrics to provide secure user authentication techniques for the pervasive computer systems of the future. Several faculty members from departments across three schools are involved in various biometrics and sensors projects. CUBS has received over $5.0M in funding from federal agencies and industry over the last four years.

National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA)
The University at Buffalo has been prominent in GI Science research and training since the mid 1970s, and is home to one of the three sites of the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA). The NCGIA is an independent research consortium whose primary mandate is to conduct basic research in geographic information science and its related technology.

The Buffalo site of the NCGIA (NCGIA–Buffalo) is an organized research unit of the University at Buffalo, facilitating an active and interdisciplinary research community. NCGIA–Buffalo manages the Buffalo portion of the national center, supports a range of other research grants and programs, and coordinates GI Science activities on campus. NCGIA-Buffalo currently has 24 official members distributed among nine departments in four schools. However, the UB Geographic Information Science community is even broader than that, involving nearly 60 UB faculty in over 20 departments or similar units. NCGIA-Buffalo also coordinates the University’s participation in the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), and in the New York State GIS Coordinating Committee.

Center of Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CEISARE)
Over 15 faculty from four departments have collaborated in advancing computing methodologies that protect information systems by ensuring availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non-repudiation. Research in this important area is channeled through the recently formed NSA Center of Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CEISARE). The center leads several projects in applications of formal specifications and verification methods to a variety of problems in security, including intrusion detection, insider threat mitigation, digital piracy, vulnerability analysis and mobile code security. Its focus is on designing robust, fault-tolerant and secure systems for e-commerce, grid computing and wireless networks.

The Center for Multisource Information Fusion (CMIF)
The Center for Multisource Information Fusion (CMIF), with $20 million dollars of funded programs since its inception, is focused on several information fusion activities. A sampling of recent projects sponsored by various federal agencies include: a connectionist approach to multi-attribute decision making, robust surveillance through adaptive management, distributed target tracking, cognitive modeling of human intentionality, and mammography.

Center for Computational Research (CCR)
UB is home to the Center for Computational Research (CCR) which is among the leading university-based high-performance computing facilities worldwide. Over 60 faculty from 25 departments participate in various CS projects and have recently received a funding total of over $100M. UB’s strengths in computational sciences can be organized under three broad categories: (i) life sciences, (ii) physical sciences, and (iii) engineering.

CCR and its staff have generated $20M in external funding and have enabled $160M in external funding and $150M in in-kind donations since its inception. The research at CCR complements theory and experimentation. CCR collaborates with the Physical Sciences (computational chemistry, physics, biophysics); Life Sciences (structural biology, protein folding, physiology, bioinformatics); and Engineering (geophysical mass flow, groundwater modeling, HLS, data fusion, data mining, earthquake engineering and Computational Fluid Dynamics).

The Center for Virtual Architecture (CVA)
The Center for Virtual Architecture (CVA) at the School of Architecture and Planning provides an interdisciplinary venue to investigate new approaches to the application and development of architectural design and educational software products. Specifically, the center is engaged in the research of: (i) visualization and the utilization of computer aided design to produce interactive learning environments; (ii) the production of interactive architectural environments that respond to user needs through the use of advanced microelectronics and sensor technology; and (iii) complete technology systems which use computer controlled and robotic construction systems to manufacture structures and architectural elements directly from a digital design.

Visualization and the production of interactive learning environments is a strong area of research at the CVA. Faculty have produced a number of nationally recognized learning environments. These projects include: (i) “Interactive Structures: Visualizing Structural Behavior,” funded by the U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE); (ii) “Barton House Project,” funded by the Verizon Foundation; and (iii) “Visualizing the Architectural Function of the Temporomandibular Joint,” funded by the UB Educational Technology Seed Grant Program. These projects represent collaboration among Architecture, Art, Engineering and Dental Medicine.

A critical element of future research and education in Architecture and Planning will be the digital fabrication and visualization lab. It will support research in emerging industrial processes—digital design-production-fabrication overflow systems in building design and construction. Faculty from the UB NYSCEDII facility and the department of Media Studies will play significant role in this lab.

The New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation (NYSCEDII)

NYSCEDII serves as a new and important resource for the sustenance and growth of the industrial base in Western New York, and New York State altogether. By focusing on the front-end high technology, simulation, and information intensive design of complex engineered products and advanced transportation systems, we develop technologies and provide services that complement other economic development and training activities in the Region and State. The activities of the Center speak directly to regional needs in information technology as articulated in the recent State of the Region report prepared under the leadership of the University at Buffalo.

NYSCEDII's mission emphasizes: (i) basic research; (ii) education and training; and (iii) industrial outreach. These areas allow NYSCEDII to develop relationships and partnerships with organizations across all disciplines. The work NYSCEDII performs in these areas allows companies and organizations to use next-generation technologies in their design, manufacturing and any other processes.

The New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences (COE)

The COE was created in Buffalo, New York in 2002 as part of more than $200 million dollars in investment from state, federal, industry and philanthropic sources to create a hub of life sciences expertise and innovation in Upstate New York. The COE brings a strong foundation in life sciences research and discovery to its mission and collaborative efforts with industry, government and researchers around the world to improve the health and well-being of the population. COE research institutions have been around for more than 100 years with the University at Buffalo (UB) as the lead academic organization, and Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute as research partners.

The COE and its research partners are completing the process of moving into 400,000 square feet of state-of-the-art research facilities in three new interconnected buildings, known as the Buffalo Life Sciences Complex, on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, which is a thriving area of clinical, research and academic operations employing over 8,000 people daily. The COE includes over 100 scientists with biological, physical and computational expertise engaged in interdisciplinary translational research with COE collaborators.