add cindy and yalong award

Author: sichenjin

_data/news.yaml

@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
+- title: Cindy Xiong Named Google Research Scholar for Work on Human-AI Engagement  
+  _date: '2025-08-06'  
+  image: /assets/images/news/2025-cindy-google.jpg  
+  short_description: Professor Cindy Xiong has been selected as a Google Research Scholar for her project DYNAMITE-AI, which explores dynamic approaches to fostering thoughtful engagement with AI.  
+  description:  Professor Cindy Xiong has been awarded a Google Research Scholar grant to support her project, DYNAMITE-AI: Dynamic Approaches to Model & Increase Thoughtful Engagement with AI.    
+    Cindy’s work investigates how people interact with AI systems and develops strategies to encourage more mindful, reflective, and productive engagement. Her research bridges human-computer interaction, visualization, and AI to design systems that foster trust, transparency, and deeper understanding.  
+    Congratulations to Cindy on this well-deserved recognition of her impactful and innovative research!  
+
+
+- title: Yalong Yang receives NSF CAREER Award for Virtual Workspaces for Data Workers  
+  _date: '2025-09-17'  
+  image: /assets/images/news/Yalong Yang_NSF.jpg  
+  short_description: Professor Yalong Yang has received an NSF CAREER Award to design augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) workspaces that transform how data workers collaborate and analyze information.  
+  description: 
+    Professor Yalong Yang, assistant professor in the School of Interactive Computing, has been awarded an NSF CAREER Award for his research on immersive AR/VR workspaces for data workers.  
+    His project envisions replacing conventional laptops and monitors with immersive environments that support the end-to-end data science pipeline—from collecting and processing data to visualization, modeling, and communication. The work aims to make complex data tools accessible in virtual workspaces while enabling real-time collaboration among teams.  
+    Yang is collaborating with Google on this project, using Google Gemini to reimagine conventional applications in immersive environments, starting with the most challenging systems: data tools. Prior research suggests that VR can enhance memory, attention, and multitasking. Yang’s work builds on this by leveraging AR/VR to expand cognitive limits, helping data workers process more information and develop stronger mental models.  
+    Congratulations to Yalong on this prestigious recognition of his innovative research at the intersection of visualization, AI, and immersive computing!  
 
-
-- ttitle: John Stasko Retirement Celebration  
+- title: John Stasko Retirement Celebration  
   _date: '2025-09-18'  
   image: /assets/images/news/john_event.jpg  
   short_description: The School of Interactive Computing gathered to celebrate Professor John Stasko’s retirement after 36 years at Georgia Tech.