Peng named ACM Distinguished Member
02-13-2025
Chunyi Peng, associate professor of computer science
Associate Professor Chunyi Peng is among the 56 computer scientists named 2024 Distinguished Members by the ACM
Chunyi Peng, a Purdue University computer scientist in the Department of Computer Science, was named a 2024 Associate of Computing Machinery (ACM) Distinguished Member. She was recognized, "for contributions to device-based mobile network analytics and mobile sensing over light and sound.”
Peng's current research interests are in the broad areas of mobile networking, system and security, with a recent focus on renovating 5G access technologies, AI for networks, 5G/IoT security, and mobile edge computing. Her work uses computer vision techniques for autonomous drones, vehicles and robots.
The ACM Distinguished Member program recognizes up to 10 percent of the worldwide ACM membership based on professional experience and significant achievements in computing beyond the norm. To be nominated, a candidate must have at least 15 years of professional experience in the field and five years of Professional ACM Membership in the last 10 years, and must have achieved a significant level of accomplishment or made a significant impact in the field. Also, a Distinguished Member is expected to have served as a mentor and role model to younger professionals.
“Each year we look forward to selecting a new class of ACM Distinguished Members from among our worldwide association of 110,000 colleagues,” explained ACM President Yannis Ioannidis. “ACM’s motto is ‘advancing computing as a science and profession.’ To fulfill our mission, we rely completely on our volunteers—from organizing technical conferences to editing research journals and managing professional development activities. In turn, all these efforts lay a foundation that supports computing professionals throughout their careers. The Distinguished Members Program not only celebrates innovation but also underscores the value of being part of a vibrant technical community.”
Peng specializes in wireless networking, mobile systems, and network security. Her research focuses on enhancing the reliability, efficiency, and security of next-generation communication networks.
Before joining Purdue, Peng was an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Ohio State University. She earned her doctorate in computer science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before her doctoral studies, she worked as an associate and assistant researcher at the Wireless Networking Group at Microsoft Research Asia, contributing to advancements in wireless communication technologies.
Peng has been recognized for her outstanding research contributions with several awards including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2018. She was also named a Runner-up for the 2022 ACM MobiCom Best Community Paper Award and received the 2022 ACM MobiCom Outstanding PC Member Award for her contributions to the research community.
Peng’s work continues to drive innovation in mobile and wireless systems, addressing critical challenges in modern network infrastructure and security.
Two other 2024 ACM Distinguished Members are alumni of the department. Associate Professor Marina Blanton is a faculty member at the University of Buffalo, SUNY. She is recognized, "for contributions to the advancement of privacy-preserving computation.” Blanton earned her PhD in 2007 and was supervised by Distinguished Professor Mikhail Atallah.
Professor Mohamed Hefeeda is a faculty member in the School of Computing Science at Simon Fraser University. He is recognized for, “for research contributions to multimedia networking, peer-to-peer systems, and mobile video streaming.” Hefeeda earned his PhD in 2004 and was supervised by Professor Bharat Bhargava.
In keeping with ACM’s global reach, the 2024 ACM Distinguished Members work at leading universities, corporations, and research institutions in Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, India, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This year’s class of Distinguished Members made contributions in autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mobile networks, software, and numerous other areas.
Peng joins other Purdue University, Department of Computer Science faculty members who have received Distinguished Member status.
- Ahmed Elmagarmid [2009]
- Tony Hosking [2012]
- Ninghui Li [2012]
- Chris Clifton [2017]
About the Department of Computer Science at Purdue University
Founded in 1962, the Department of Computer Science was created to be an innovative base of knowledge in the emerging field of computing as the first degree-awarding program in the United States. The department continues to advance the computer science industry through research. US News & Reports ranks Purdue CS #8 in computer engineering and #19 and #16 and #18 overall in undergraduate and graduate computer science, respectively. Additionally the program is ranked 6th in cybersecurity, 8th in software engineering, 13th in systems, 15th in programming languages and data analytics, and 18th in theory. Graduates of the program are able to solve complex and challenging problems in many fields. Our consistent success in an ever-changing landscape is reflected in the record undergraduate enrollment, increased faculty hiring, innovative research projects, and the creation of new academic programs. The increasing centrality of computer science in academic disciplines and society, and new research activities—centered around foundations and applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning, such as natural language processing, human computer interaction, vision, and robotics, as well as systems and security—are the future focus of the department. cs.purdue.edu