- Gradstudents - mailman.cs.vt.edu

Fw: Zero Trust Cyber Security Model Webinar by its creator, John Kindervag, 10/22/25, 130 pm. Please circulate to your department.
by Yao, Danfeng 20 Oct '25

20 Oct '25

FYI. A webinar this Wednesday on zero trust by John Kindervag in celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. ________________________________ From: Marchany, Randy <marchany(a)vt.edu> Sent: Monday, October 20, 2025 11:01 AM To: Yao, Danfeng <danfeng(a)vt.edu> Subject: Zero Trust Cyber Security Model Webinar by its creator, John Kindervag, 10/22/25, 130 pm. Please circulate to your department. Daphne, I think this talk might be of interest to the CS faculty and students. Can you distribute the info to the CS dept? Thanks. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the Division of Information Technology is offering a number of opportunities to keep you up to speed with the dynamic world of online security. This year, the marquee event is a talk with cybersecurity innovator John Kindervag, the originator of the Zero Trust cybersecurity model. Kindervag will speak at a free Zoom webinar for the university community on Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. More information is at https://news.vt.edu/articles/2025/10/it-john-kindervag-webinar-cybersecurit…. The webinar is free and open to the university community.<https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/81971120673> -Randy

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Re: CS Grad Council Fall Hike This Saturday at 10 A.M. (10/18/2025)
by Moussad, Bernard 16 Oct '25

16 Oct '25

It was pointed out that I completely forget to attach the carpool link! Here it is: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18cgdmcYCgW9tIPeoPCy2eRt9BqgqpXMHHM1… Again, hopefully see you guys Saturday! Sincerely, Bernard Moussad PhD student CS@VT Phone: 256-668-7571 Website: Bernym12.github.io<https://bernym12.github.io/> ________________________________ From: Moussad, Bernard via Gradstudents <gradstudents(a)cs.vt.edu> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2025 1:26:14 PM To: Moussad, Bernard <bernardm(a)vt.edu> Subject: [Gradstudents] CS Grad Council Fall Hike This Saturday at 10 A.M. (10/18/2025) Hey folks, I hope you've all had the chance to walk around Blacksburg and enjoy the fall weather. If you haven't, then you're in luck because we have a fall hike planned for this Saturday! We'll start at 10 a.m. by the Food Lion next to Foxridge (801 Hethwood Blvd, Blacksburg, VA 24060) and finish up by Rising Silo! There will be donuts and coffee before we start and some good appetizers at Rising Silo after (both covered by CSGC)! Any other lunch and drinks would be on your own. If you need a ride, please put your name, email, and phone number down in one of the open slots and we'll work to get a ride sorted out for you. If you're willing to drive/carpool folks, please let me know (bernardm(a)vt.edu)! Lastly, if you haven't signed up, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/MEETvDFrPjG4gpVw8 Can't wait to see all of you Saturday! [cid:63bf2c79-1f1e-415b-8879-3f5d2c2973f9] Sincerely, Bernard Moussad CSGC President PhD student in CS@VT Phone: (256) 668-7571 bernym12.github.io<http://bernym12.github.io/>

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CS Grad Council Fall Hike This Saturday at 10 A.M. (10/18/2025)
by Moussad, Bernard 16 Oct '25

16 Oct '25

Hey folks, I hope you've all had the chance to walk around Blacksburg and enjoy the fall weather. If you haven't, then you're in luck because we have a fall hike planned for this Saturday! We'll start at 10 a.m. by the Food Lion next to Foxridge (801 Hethwood Blvd, Blacksburg, VA 24060) and finish up by Rising Silo! There will be donuts and coffee before we start and some good appetizers at Rising Silo after (both covered by CSGC)! Any other lunch and drinks would be on your own. If you need a ride, please put your name, email, and phone number down in one of the open slots and we'll work to get a ride sorted out for you. If you're willing to drive/carpool folks, please let me know (bernardm(a)vt.edu)! Lastly, if you haven't signed up, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/MEETvDFrPjG4gpVw8 Can't wait to see all of you Saturday! [cid:63bf2c79-1f1e-415b-8879-3f5d2c2973f9] Sincerely, Bernard Moussad CSGC President PhD student in CS@VT Phone: (256) 668-7571 bernym12.github.io<http://bernym12.github.io>

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Palash Sashittal: The Ancestry of Cancer, a hands on exploration, October 30 at Rising Silo
by Zier, Debbie 16 Oct '25

16 Oct '25

October 30, 5:30 p.m., Rising Silo Brewery <https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/css-events/upcoming-events/oct--30…> : The Ancestry of Cancer: Tracing How Cancer Evolves<https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/css-events/upcoming-events/oct--30…> Join Palash Sashittal, assistant professor in Virginia Tech’s Department of Computer Science, for a hands-on exploration of the evolutionary history of cancer — how tumors grow, adapt, and resist treatment. Cancer isn’t a single disease; it’s a process of evolution within our bodies. At this month’s Science on Tap, participants will use a dice-based game to see evolution in action — watching genetic changes accumulate over time. You'll then piece together how cancer evolves, using the same reasoning scientist's use to uncover cancer's evolutionary history. Come join the community, roll some dice, and see how exploring evolution helps us better understand disease! Free and open to the public. Hosted by the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech and Virginia Tech's chapter of Sigma Xi. Location: Rising Silo Brewery- 2351 Glade Rd., Blacksburg, VA, 24060 If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Erin Smith at erinsmith(a)vt.edu<mailto:erinsmith@vt.edu> during regular business hours at least ten days before the event. Best, Debbie ________________________ Debbie Zier Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 3160E Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 541-231-1369

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Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down
by Zier, Debbie 14 Oct '25

14 Oct '25

Good Afternoon, If you are a faculty/staff member or graduate student and have small children, The Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down<https://news.vt.edu/notices/2025/10/the-little-hokie-hand-me-down-will-be-o…> is scheduled for November 11 and 12. The Hand-Me-Down offers students and staff members with children ages 0-10 the opportunity to "shop" for a wide range of children's clothes and other items they may need, free of charge. The event takes place in the multi-purpose room of the Graduate Life Center. If you have items for donation, they are being excepted now through 5:00pm on November 10, you can drop off donated items at the Women's Center (206 Washington Street) or at the front desk of the Graduate Life Center. Organizers have also created an Amazon wish list for people who wish to purchase items for donation. Please see the full article<https://news.vt.edu/notices/2025/10/the-little-hokie-hand-me-down-will-be-o…> for more information and additional contact information. Best, Debbie ________________________ Debbie Zier Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 3160E Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 541-231-1369

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REMINDER: Entrepreneurship and Computing Seminar Series: George Luc, October 15th 4pm.
by Kantarcioglu, Murat 14 Oct '25

14 Oct '25

Dear All, As part of the CS/Root, the hub for computer science entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech, Entrepreneurship and Computing Seminar Series, we are hosting a fireside chat with George Luc, VT CS Distinguished Alumnus. We invite you to attend if you are interested in startups and/or in learning how research can be successfully transitioned into practice. Please see the details below, along with the attached seminar announcement. Seminar Title: A fireside chat with George Luc on building online platforms Date and Time: October 15th, 2025, 4pm Location: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/86914529649?pwd=zGaadHTKE51MbMhwXEYrljJ8OzcJ… Meeting ID: 869 1452 9649 Passcode: 162703 Speaker Bio: George Luc is Co-Founder and CEO of GivePulse, a platform to match, track and assess all forms of community engagement activity (like service-learning, volunteerism, fundraising, philanthropy and public service). George is a TEDxAustin speaker, SXSW Dewey Honoree, and he and GivePulse have been honored for their work as White House Champions for Change. He believes the world will improve if volunteering, philanthropy and community engagement is social, beneficial and impactful. Best Regards, Murat ==================================== Murat Kantarcioglu, Ph.D. Professor, and CCI Faculty Fellow Virginia Tech, Department of Computer Science www.kantarcioglu.net ====================================

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Lunch with Dean Surprenant
by Dr. Eli Tilevich 13 Oct '25

13 Oct '25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- LUNCH WITH DEAN SURPRENANT Wednesday, October 15, 12-1pm, GLC Meeting Room B GPSS invites you to a lunch with Graduate School Dean Surprenant and the VT Graduate School. This is a great opportunity for all grad students to ask questions, voice concerns, and discuss topics that matter most to them. Lunch will be provided, and the informal setting allows you to engage directly with grad school administrators and connect with fellow students. Please RSVP here: <https://forms.office.com/r/zkAGMBW0eP> https://forms.office.com/r/zkAGMBW0eP GPSS Executive Board President | Pooja Bhagawat Vice President | Gyang Chung Director of Advocacy | Poulomi Dey Director of Events | Brian Chan Director of Programs | Megan Grey Director of Finance | Kelsey Jennings Director of Communications | Taylor Peele Advisor | Lauren Surface <http://www.gpss.vt.edu/> www.gpss.vt.edu | <mailto:gpss@vt.edu> gpss(a)vt.edu | Instagram: <https://www.instagram.com/vtgpss/> @VTGPSS

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FW: Employment Opportunity: Proctor & Gamble
by Kinder, Sharon 09 Oct '25

09 Oct '25

"Polymer Characterization: Measures Linked to Product Performance and Current Challenges for Innovation" Jackie Thomas, PhD Principal Scientist The Procter & Gamble Company 4-5 PM, Monday Oct 27th Kelly Hall Room 310 There are various phases for characterization of polymers, from Discovery and Synthesis, to Use and Performance, to End of Life. Each phase may need different levels of characterization. Various analytical measurement techniques are available to support the different phases from bulk measures to high end measures that push the limits of detection. Highlighted will be real examples from P&G focused on Use and Performance showcasing the Analytical Tools used detection, visualization, and recycled packaging. Additionally, current challenges in characterization, such as polymers are often not pure single molecules, but made up of a mixture of like molecules will also be discussed. Two approaches will be highlighted towards creating "polymer standards" for better fingerprinting of industrial relevant polymers. Jackie Thomas, PhD, is currently a Principal Scientist in the Corporate Research organization at P&G. She joined P&G in 2008 and currently focuses on materials characterizations, complex mixture analysis, and polymer characterization primarily using NMR spectroscopy. She earned a Ph.D. Degree in Physical Organic Chemistry from Texas A&M University and a B.S. Degree in Chemistry from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Jackie is very active with ACS, served as Chair of the Local Cincinnati Section in 2016, currently a member of the Polymer Division Industrial Advisory Board, and newly elected as Chair-Elect for the Analytical Division 25/26. As of 2025, she is also a board member of Macromolecules Innovation Institute (MMI) External Advisory Board at Virginia Tech. Jackie is originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, married, has two sons, and enjoys spending time with her family. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Procter & Gamble Company is the world's largest consumer products company. They are seeking qualified doctoral candidates, postdocs, and PhD interns in the following areas to join their Research and Development organization: * Chemistry (all branches - Analytical, Bioanalytical, Organic, Inorganic, Organometallic, Polymers, Materials Science, Physical, Bioinorganic, Biochemistry, Computational Chemistry, etc.) * Engineering (Chemical, Biomedical, Materials Science, Electrical, Computational Engineering, etc) * Life Sciences (Pharmacology, Toxicology, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Microbiology, Computational Biology, etc) * Computer Science, Data Science, Modeling & Simulation * Mathematics and Statistics (Statistics, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Applied Mathematics) * Sensory Sciences (Food Science, Neuroscience, Physiology, Psychology) P&G representatives will be on campus and host a Company Information Session from 5:30 - 7:00 PM on Monday, October 27st in Kelly Hall Room 310. PhD students and Postdocs interested in learning about P&G and potential employment opportunities are welcome to attend the session (food and beverages will be provided!). A listing of our current openings is available at www.pgcareers.com<http://www.pgcareers.com/>. You will also have the opportunity to interview with P&G on campus, on October 28th and 29th, 2025. If you are interested in being considered for an interview, please scan the QR code located in the attachment or use this Link<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/C6995Znjl…> to submit your resume and a 1-2-page research summary, on or before October 15th. Please contact Kim Felix, MII Degree Program Administrator, if you need assistance or additional information [Tel: (540) 231-6716; Email: mii(a)vt.edu<mailto:mii@vt.edu>]. Thank you, MII & P&G

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Seminar Talk: Friday, October 10, 2:30 - 3:45pm, Classroom Building, Room 260
by Zier, Debbie 09 Oct '25

09 Oct '25

Murat Kantarcioglu Professor and CCI Fellow Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech Friday, October 10, 2025 2:30 - 3:45pm Classroom Building, Room 260 Seminar<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Murat_Kantarcioglu.html>:<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Murat_Kantarcioglu.html> <https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Murat_Kantarcioglu.html> No One Machine Learning Model to Rule Them All<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Murat_Kantarcioglu.html> Abstract: With the rapid rise of deep learning and generative AI, there is a strong push to deploy increasingly complex machine learning models for critical tasks in cybersecurity and tactical edge domains. However, in resource-constrained environments, where both data and compute are limited, traditional one-ML-model-fits-all approaches fall short for detecting cyber attacks. In this talk, we argue for a dynamic, adaptive framework in which multiple models are trained, selectively deployed based on available resources, and continuously updated to withstand adversarial attacks and respond to rapidly changing environments. We will present our current work toward realizing this vision and highlight how such an approach can enable resilient, efficient, and mission-ready AI at the edge for protecting against cyberattacks. Bio: Murat Kantarcioglu is a Professor and CCI Faculty Fellow at the Virginia Tech Department of Computer Science. He earned his PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University in 2005, where he was awarded the Purdue CERIAS Diamond Award for Academic Excellence. He also holds affiliations as a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Data Privacy Lab and as a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley’s RISE Labs. Dr. Kantarcioglu’s research centers on integrating cybersecurity, data science, and blockchain technologies to develop secure and efficient data processing and sharing mechanisms. His research has been supported by numerous grants from agencies such as NSF, AFOSR, ARO, ONR, NSA, and NIH. Dr. Kantarcioglu has authored over 180 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier venues including NDSS, CCS, USENIX Security, KDD, SIGMOD, ICDM, ICDE, PVLDB, and several IEEE/ACM Transactions. He has also served as Program Co-Chair for prestigious conferences such as IEEE ICDE, ACM SACMAT, IEEE Cloud, IEEE CNS, and ACM CODASPY. His research has been featured by media outlets such as the Boston Globe, ABC News, PBS/KERA, and DFW Television, and he has received multiple best paper awards. Dr. Kantarcioglu is the recipient of several awards, including the NSF CAREER Award, the AMIA 2014 Homer R. Warner Award, and the IEEE ISI 2017 Technical Achievement Award, jointly presented by the IEEE SMC and IEEE ITS societies, for his contributions to data security and privacy. He is also a Fellow of both the AAAS and IEEE. ________________________ Debbie Zier Administrative Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 3160E Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 541-231-1369

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You're Invited to the Nutshell Games!
by Zier, Debbie 07 Oct '25

07 Oct '25

You're Invited to the Nutshell Games! October 23: Packed with wild ideas like “poop to the rescue,” “rubber that fixes itself,” and “listening to the coldest whisper in the universe," the 2025 Nutshell Games<https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/news/Center_for_Communicating_Scie…> will be just as fun for the audience as it is for the speakers. You’re invited to experience the excitement on Thursday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech! Free and open to the public. In front of a panel of judges, including two 7th graders, and in just 90 seconds each, 30 Virginia Tech graduate students will rise to the challenge, take the stage, and share their work in ways that are engaging, clear, and meaningful. No jargon. No slides. Just brilliant ideas, told from the heart. We hope to see you there! Erin Smith, Project Coordinator Virginia Tech | Center for Communicating Science 230 Grove Lane Blacksburg, VA 24060 erinmsmith(a)vt.edu (she/her) why pronouns matter<https://pronouns.org/what-and-why> Center for Communicating Science<https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/> Sign up for CCS Newsletter<https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/news/Center_for_Communicating_Scie…> Want to collaborate with the Center? Fill out our interest form.<https://forms.gle/g2eotH7mXE7xSs4v9>

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