Xu, Moore receive SUNY Chancellor’s Awards

Wenyao Xu, professor and associate chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, which recognizes the work of those who engage actively in scholarly and creative pursuits beyond their teaching responsibilities. 

Kristen Moore, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Education, as well as the Department of English within the College of Arts and Sciences, has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, which recognizes “the consistently superior service contributions of teaching faculty” sustained over a period of time.

Altogether, 20 University at Buffalo faculty and staff members received 2023 Chancellor’s Awards, which acknowledge and provide system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

Xu has earned international recognition for his scholarship in mobile computing and the Internet of Things, including, according to one of his peers, “novel and significant research contributions in understanding and optimizing computer systems.”

Immediately after earning a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles, Xu joined the Department of Computer Science and Engineering as an assistant professor in 2013. Quickly rising in the ranks, he was promoted to associate professor in 2018 and professor in 2022.

An exceptional scholar, Xu focuses on wireless and mobile sensing. He, along with his team, delve into the realm of wireless sensing systems — research that has significant implications in digital health, advanced manufacturing, surveillance and public safety.

To date, Xu has published two book chapters, 116 journal papers and 122 peer-reviewed conference papers on a wide range of topics, including computer systems, digital health and cybersecurity. His work has received multiple accolades from relevant research communities, including several Best Paper Awards from prestigious computer science conferences and engineering journals. Since joining UB, he has garnered a remarkable funding record, securing over 28 research grants totaling more than $14 million from such entities as the NSF, the NIH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

A dedicated mentor, Xu regularly engages in SUNY and UB undergraduate research training programs that benefit minority students, including initiatives like UB LSAMP, CLIMB, SHPE and iSEED. He has guided more than 80 undergraduate student researchers from various backgrounds and has devised a new course to introduce research methods and topics to UB undergraduates. During his career, Xu has advised one postdoctoral researcher and 12 PhD students.

Moore is an associate professor of technical communication with a joint appointment in the departments of Engineering Education (DEE) and English. As a specialist in writing and rhetoric with a focus in equity and inclusion, she has built an integrated, research-informed service profile while maintaining an active research profile.

Moore began working at UB in 2018, where she became a founding faculty member of DEE and the department’s first director of graduate studies. Moore worked to start up the department, including developing and proposing PhD, MS and certificate programs. She has also led policy, recruitment and professional development initiatives within the department.

In addition to engineering education programs, Moore has worked to innovate writing curricula in SEAS. In 2019, she collaborated with Lauren Kuryloski, assistant professor of teaching in DEE, to develop industry-driven practices focused on regulatory writing and standards. Additionally, she helped develop a graduate-level writing program for professional engineers. Her expertise in writing has extended across both of her home departments and colleges, including the Department of English, where she spent a year as director of the Professional and Digital Communication Certificate.

Moore’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is exemplified in her work as chair of the SEAS Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee. Her work encompasses developing faculty, student and staff training; revising the school’s mission statement; collecting data regarding JEDI initiatives; developing mentoring programs; and responding to individual acts of bias and inequity. From developing JEDI-informed workshops to creating a best practice for inclusive interviewing, Moore has produced meaningful and practical resources for the SEAS community to advance their approach to equity, diversity and inclusion.

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