Research Seminars @ Illinois

Tailored for undergraduate researchers, this calendar is a curated list of research seminars at the University of Illinois. Explore the diverse world of research and expand your knowledge through engaging sessions designed to inspire and enlighten.

To have your events added or removed from this calendar, please contact OUR at ugresearch@illinois.edu

Security & Privacy Research Area Seminar: "Unlocking the Value of Private Data: Differentially Private Synthetic Data Generation."

Apr 3, 2026   1:00 - 2:00 pm  
ECEB 2013
Sponsor
Security & Privacy Research Area
Speaker
Tianhao Wang
Contact
Xiaojing Liao
E-Mail
xjliao@illinois.edu
Originating Calendar
Siebel School Speakers Calendar

Abstract: Despite massive data generation, access to sensitive datasets for research and development remains severely restricted, leading to "data poverty" and hindering innovation. Differentially private synthetic data generation offers a robust framework to create realistic, privacy-preserving datasets, unlocking their value without compromising individual confidentiality. In this talk, I will highlight our group's recent advancements in this domain, including novel algorithms and comprehensive benchmarking efforts to evaluate the utility and privacy trade-offs of synthetic data and talk about ongoing and future research directions addressing technical challenges and examining approaches across various data modalities.
 
Bio: Tianhao Wang has been an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Virginia (UVA) since Jan 2022. He held a postdoc position at Carnegie Mellon University, earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Purdue University in 2021, and B.E. from Fudan University in 2015. His research focus is on differential privacy and AI security and privacy. He has extensive publications in top security and database conferences. His work on differentially private synthetic data generation won multiple awards in NIST’s competition.

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