LEXINGTON, Va., November 4, 2021—Tanner Mallari ’22, a computer and information sciences major, recently presented at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) International Conference on Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE 2021).

The research presented was a result of collaboration between Mallari, Emily Hattman ’22, and Dr. Youna Jung, associate professor of computer and information sciences.

“We initiated this idea in the CIS research course and then developed [it into] a research paper,” Jung stated.

Their research explores the effectiveness and security of disaster-responsive software. A lack of standardization and unqualified applications could lead to dangerous situations, so the team proposed a certificate that proves the effectiveness, security, and compliance of a disaster response mobile application.

“It was surreal to present our paper and listen to researchers from all over the world,” Mallari said. “It was inspiring to see the diversity of topics and people at CSSE 2021, [and] it was a great opportunity to see the current scope of computer science research and present at my first conference.”

Mallari believes their research could provide added safety and effectiveness in a disaster situation.

“I am most proud that our work can have a positive impact on people who experience hardship and lack guidance during disaster, especially in a world with so much computing power that could help them,” Mallari said. “I can personally relate to this, as I lived a few miles away from fires that burned thousands of acres near my hometown of Folsom, California in 2019. I am proud to develop this area of research and potentially provide solutions to people who have none left.”

Eric Moore 
Communications & Marketing 
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE