The rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence is helping marine scientists make sense of the wave of data modern ocean science now produces, and at a speed that would have previously required an army of researchers. That was the focus for this spring’s Oceanic AI Fellowship, a state-funded program supported by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative that brings together institutions of higher education across Virginia to build critical cyber and AI skills through hands-on, real-world experiences.
Dr. Cristiano Fanelli, Associate Professor of Data Science at William & Mary, will serve as chair-elect of the American Physical Society (APS) Group on Data Science, a leadership role that places him at the forefront of one of physics’ fastest-growing interdisciplinary fields.
Dr. Geoffrey Zahn, an assistant professor of applied science at William & Mary, is pioneering new methods to ensure these coastal defenses survive. He was recently awarded a $369,000 grant from the Revive & Restore Climate Resilience Fund to develop an AI-powered predictive decision framework, a cutting-edge approach designed to dramatically improve the success and reliability of coastal eelgrass restoration efforts.
Several undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics were recently awarded fellowships to pursue their master’s or doctoral degree.
When the winner of the 2026 Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) autonomous division was announced, the presenter used one word to describe them: noticeable.
Finishing the 2-mile course more than five times faster than the second-place team, it was clear to everyone watching who had won, but beyond the docks, the results turned a number of heads. William & Mary Racing, competing against large engineer schools like Johns Hopkins, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, had sailed away from the competition.
William & Mary’s TribeCyber team made their presence known in their debut at the Virginia Cyber Cup Competition, earning a third-place finish against competitors from across the Commonwealth.
Zhou’s work on Gait-Guard and Trigger-Finder is part of William & Mary’s AI4Health, a provost-funded initiative that brings faculty from computing, health sciences, and other related fields together to address real-world healthcare challenges.
Denys Poshyvanyk, Chancellor Professor of Computer Science at William & Mary, has been named an Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Fellow, one of computing’s highest honors, reserved for the top 1% of ACM members for outstanding technical achievement and service to the field.
A new wave of AI aims to help humans make decisions in unpredictable situations in real-world applications where digital and physical systems intersect. From disaster response to public health crises, these systems analyze complex, rapidly changing data and provide actionable insights, guiding leaders and responders to make informed choices under pressure, even when outcomes are uncertain.
Underscoring William & Mary’s commitment to public service in its Year of Civic Leadership, three graduate students have been selected as 2026 Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) Policy Fellows, joining a statewide initiative aimed at ensuring policy is informed by accurate, impartial scientific and technical information.
Microbes are everywhere – on your skin, in your gut, in the soil beneath your feet, even floating in the air you breathe. Most people think of microbes in simple terms: some make you sick, while others help keep you healthy. But microbes’ influence stretches far beyond human bodies. These astonishingly complex organisms regulate the health of forests, oceans, and grasslands, and determine how ecosystems respond to environmental change.
William & Mary’s first new school in more than 50 years takes a major step forward with the opening of Integrated Science Center 4 for the Spring 2026 semester. The latest phase of the ISC complex serves as the home for the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics.
Dr. Matthew Chapman, a teaching professor in Computer Science, has been appointed as the Associate Director of Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development for the William & Mary Cybersecurity Center.
At the moment of the Big Bang, matter and antimatter were created in equal amounts - or at least that’s what the standard laws of physics predict. If that were the whole story, however, matter and antimatter would have destroyed each other completely, leaving behind only energy.
William & Mary has received a new $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to lead the next phase of AID2E, an ambitious effort to integrate artificial intelligence into the design and optimization of large-scale physics experiments with multiple detector systems.
William & Mary Assistant Professor of Data Science Jindong Wang has received two competitive research awards from Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS), recognizing his groundbreaking work in advancing the structure, safety, and reliability of artificial intelligence systems.
This year, a small but determined group of six undergraduates represented W&M at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in Paris, earning a gold medal for their project Aquarius, which harnessed the power of synthetic biology to tackle pressing water-related environmental challenges.
The National Science Foundation has recognized Dr. Cristiano Fanelli, associate professor of data science at William & Mary, with a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, one of the most prestigious honors for early-career faculty.
Charles Tahan ’00, a physicist and national leader in quantum information science, will be the featured speaker for the inaugural School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics Joint Colloquium on Nov. 7.
While Homecoming at William & Mary is synonymous with parades, reunions, and football, 11 student teams spent the week trying to teach computers to see underwater, using artificial intelligence to turn data into discovery.
The hiss of liquid nitrogen and the thud of a frozen marshmallow shattering under a hammer echoed throughout Small Hall during this year’s PhysicsFest, William & Mary’s annual hands-on celebration of physics.
Professor Saskia Mordijck will explore the promises and challenges of fusion energy in the Oct. 22 Tack Faculty Lecture, “Here Comes the Sun: Building a Star on Earth.” The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium.
Almost 200 student innovators came together Sept. 27-28 for &hacksXI, William & Mary’s annual hackathon that celebrates competition while building community and helping students learn new skills.
Year two of TribeCTF, William & Mary’s Capture-the-Flag (CTF) cybersecurity competition, saw a growing number of participants spend two days racing against the clock to solve as many challenges as possible for both prizes and bragging rights in the fast-growing world of cybersecurity.
