Rice CS MS student Jason Han has been awarded first place in the undergraduate category of the 2025 ACM Student Research Competition (SRC) Grand Finals. Han previously completed his BS degree in Computer Science in 2024.
The Grand Finals bring together the top undergraduate and graduate student researchers from 21 major ACM conferences held throughout the previous year. Han’s research was selected as the best undergraduate project across all participating conferences.
Han conducted his award-winning research in the Positive Technology Lab (PTL) under the guidance of Rice CS Assistant Professor Tirthak Patel. His project, titled “Turning Quantum Noise on its Head: Using the Noise for Diffusion Models to Generate Images,” explores the novel idea of using quantum noise, normally seen as a challenge in quantum computing, as a tool to improve generative diffusion models.
Han initially presented this research at SIGMETRICS 2024, where he won first place in the undergraduate division of the ACM SRC. His advancement to and subsequent win at the Grand Finals represent a prestigious honor. The Grand Finals are judged by a panel of top computer scientists who evaluate both the scientific merit and presentation of the students’ work.
Established in 2003, the ACM Student Research Competition provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to present original research at ACM-sponsored conferences. The program is designed to encourage young researchers and provide visibility, feedback, and networking opportunities at an early stage in their careers.