Two faculty members from the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Qianqian Tong and Dr. Yingcheng Sun, have received support through the UNCG REACH Research Development Award Program as members of interdisciplinary research teams. The program, sponsored by UNCG’s Division of Research and Engagement, is designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, support innovative and high-impact research, and help faculty teams develop competitive proposals for future external funding. It supports projects in strategic areas including artificial intelligence, health, workforce development, and high-risk/high-reward research.
Dr. Tong is a Co-PI on the project “Ion-Migration-Mediated Switching in Electrically Active Hybrid Thin Films for Neuromorphic Device Applications,” which received a $13,000 award. The project is led by Dr. Sampath Gamage from the Department of Nanoscience. Working as part of an interdisciplinary team, Dr. Tong contributes expertise in computational modeling and data-driven methods to research on hybrid thin-film materials and neuromorphic device applications. The project explores new switching mechanisms that may support the development of more efficient next-generation computing and AI hardware.
Dr. Sun is a Co-PI on the project “Sustainable AI Infrastructure Initiative: Data Center and Environment Nexus,” which received an $11,000 award. The project is led by Dr. Bhuwan Thapa from Geography, Environment & Sustainability. The interdisciplinary team brings together researchers from computer science, geography and environmental sustainability, and economics to examine the growing relationship between AI infrastructure, data centers, and environmental sustainability. The team aims to develop a broader research framework for addressing the environmental and societal challenges associated with the rapid expansion of AI computing infrastructure.
These awards highlight the Department of Computer Science’s growing interdisciplinary research collaborations across UNCG and its contributions to emerging areas.
Congratulations to Dr. Qianqian Tong and Dr. Yingcheng Sun!
