NSF Awards Advances ISR Alum Research in Quantum and Brain-Inspired Computing
ISR and ECE alum Yuntao Liu, now an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Lehigh University, has earned two National Science Foundation awards that tackle emerging challenges in secure quantum technologies and brain-inspired computation. Both projects will engage students at multiple levels and include outreach to K–12 learners, which supports the NSF's priority of broadening participation in frontier research. The first project, CICI: UCSS: Usable and Attack-Resistant Security Framework for Quantum Emulators, focuses on protecting quantum emulation systems from cyberattacks. Quantum emulators allow scientists to study problems too complex for classical computers, with potential applications in fields ranging from materials science to pharmaceutical research. Liu’s team is developing frameworks and tools to validate and defend these systems, ensuring researchers can rely on them even when they run on cloud platforms vulnerable to disruption. The second award, EFRI BEGIN OI: Biocomputation of Dynamic Patterns with Cortical Neuronal Organoids, explores how networks of living neurons can process visual information in ways that artificial systems cannot. By engineering brain organoids with layered structures similar to the cortex and pairing them with digital twins, Liu and collaborators will test how these systems recognize moving objects in video. This work could lead to more energy-efficient artificial intelligence, better vision for autonomous vehicles, and new understanding of visual processing in neurological disorders. Liu earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2020 under the mentorship of Professor Ankur Srivastava (ISR/ECE) who served as his Ph.D. advisor, and later postdoc advisor. “Yuntao worked with me for many years, first as a graduate student and then as a research scientist supporting many research directions which have had a significant impact on the field of hardware security,” said Srivastava. “It is heartening to see that Yuntao has grown so organically into his new role as a young faculty.” Reflecting on his time at UMD, Liu said “The research training that Dr. Srivastava gave me as my PhD/postdoc advisor nurtured my growth into an independent researcher. As a research scientist in ISR, I had the privilege of working collaboratively with investigators from within and outside UMD on a diverse set of research projects under Dr. Srivastava’s continued guidance. These experiences fostered my interdisciplinary research mindset and established connections with collaborators, which are invaluable for my future research.” Liu’s research interests include hardware supply chain security, hardware security for artificial intelligence, side-channel analysis, quantum computing security, and biocomputing modeling and security. His achievements highlight the impact of ISR alumni who carry forward the tradition of interdisciplinary systems research into new frontiers of technology.
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