New Member Highlight: Tingting Yu

Hi Prof. Yu, We’d love to hear about your journey. What pivotal moments or experiences led you to join UConn, and what excites you most about living in Connecticut after moving from Ohio?

My journey to UConn has been driven by my desire to join an environment that highly values research, supports faculty collaboration, and is well-organized. I believe UConn offers a unique opportunity to engage meaningfully with faculty and peers, fostering innovation and academic excellence.

Could you share the specific aspects of your research that you’re most passionate about? What inspires your curiosity and drives your dedication in this field?

I am passionate about my research in software engineering, which goes beyond merely writing code—it involves developing methodologies to enhance the reliability and security of software systems. In today's world, computer software is foundational to everyday life, powering everything from smartphone devices to large-scale computing systems. This reality inspires my curiosity and drives my dedication to ensuring these systems remain dependable. I am particularly interested in applying software engineering techniques across various domains, including smartphone applications, large distributed systems, and emerging fields like bioinformatics. The potential to improve the integrity of software in these critically important areas fuels my commitment to this field.

Who or what has had the biggest influence on your research? Have certain theories, researchers, or experiences particularly shaped your approach?

The biggest influence on my research has come from my PhD advisors, Drs. Gregg Rothermel and Witawas Srisa-an. They not only imparted invaluable knowledge and introduced me to the world of science, but they also served as mentors who instilled in me a great deal of courage and advocated strongly for women in computer science. Their guidance was essential to my decision to pursue an academic career. Additionally, my own graduate students have greatly influenced my research. Their innovative ideas and strong work ethic continually inspire me and help propel our projects forward, creating a collaborative and dynamic research environment.

What are some of the exciting research projects you’re currently working on, and what potential impact do you hope they’ll have?

I am currently engaged in some exciting research projects that utilize AI and machine learning to enhance software engineering tasks, particularly in automated software testing and debugging. Additionally, I am applying software engineering techniques to other disciplines, such as bioinformatics, where many scientists may not be computer science professionals. Our aim is to provide these scientists with the tools they need to create reliable software that effectively meets their computing needs. Ultimately, we hope that our research will not only help professional programmers and scientists develop secure and dependable software systems but also make the process more accessible and efficient, easing their workload and enabling them to focus on their core research objectives.

Outside of academia, what are some of your personal interests or hobbies? How do you like to unwind or stay inspired?

Jogging, baking, playing piano, rock climbing,  and spending time with my family.