From the directors…

The Emerging Technologies Laboratory is a cross-disciplinary laboratory that is based in the Computer Science department at Loyola University Chicago and engages in exciting and innovative projects. We are interested in all aspects of technology but focus mainly on computer systems and software. In the past five years, we have been particularly interested in pervasive computing technologies, including everything from sensors to supercomputers. We also consider ourselves to be a place where computer science faculty and students can transcend disciplinary boundaries and immerse themselves in topics that don’t always fit directly into a crowded computer science and core knowledge curriculum.

Beyond the technology itself, the ETL aims to promote technological awareness/literacy within the university and in the broader metropolitan area. Concordantly, we are strongly committed to the Jesuit ideals of education, which involve an education of the whole person and a strong commitment to service (the humane use and understanding of technology). Consequently, we spend a lot of our time using and working on Free/Open Source Software projects but at the same time are committed to platform independence (Windows, Linux, OS X, others) to ensure maximal impact of our work. We view industry collaborationas being vital to our mission and have been fortunate to be supported by major local and international companies. We also aim to be a place where people within and outside of Loyola can make valuable connections to ensure that technology becomes ubiquitous, recognizing that many of the technologies we take for granted on a daily basis have yet to reach a large percentage of the world.

Our members include Loyola students, research staff, faculty, and alumni, as well as outside scholars and technology professionals. We welcome others to join us, especially those who want to use technology to make the world a better place for everyone.

Please have a look at our site and do not hesitate to contact one of us. We will be planning a number of events (seminars and meetings) soon and look forward to seeing you at one.

Konstantin Läufer and George K. Thiruvathukal
Co-Directors, Emerging Technologies Laboratory