- Gradstudents - mailman.cs.vt.edu

Entrepreneurship and Computing Seminar Series: Matt Pfeil Talk: 09-25-25
by Kantarcioglu, Murat 12 Sep '25

12 Sep '25

Dear All, CS/Root (the hub for computer science entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech) is pleased to announce the launch of our new Entrepreneurship and Computing Seminar Series. As part of this series, our first talk will be given by Matt Pfeil, a Virginia Tech alum and serial entrepreneur. We hope you can attend if you are interested in startups and/or in learning how research can be transitioned into practice. Please see the details below and the attached seminar announcement. Seminar Title: A fireside chat with Matt Pfeil on building software startups Time and Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025 Location: Online: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/85843444041?pwd=aJoVRu1km9gGu2cXuEqrG7wjt3qa… Meeting ID: 858 4344 4041 Passcode: 369702 Speaker Bio: Matt Pfeil is currently the Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) at Top Tier Capital. Previously, he was the co-founder of DataStax (acquired by IBM), a cloud database solution and early stage employee at Mailtrust (acquired by Rackspace). He graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in computer science. When not spending time with his wife and 2 children in Austin, TX, he enjoys debates on macro economics, options trading, and playing cornhole. Best Regards, Murat ==================================== Murat Kantarcioglu, Ph.D. Professor, and CCI Faculty Fellow Virginia Tech, Department of Computer Science www.kantarcioglu.net ====================================

1 0

Participants needed for Virtual Reality Research User Study
by Roy, Ayush 12 Sep '25

12 Sep '25

Hello, The 3D Interaction (3DI) group at Virginia Tech is inviting you to participate in a research study with virtual reality (VR) technologies. Our team is evaluating how to manage links to improve comprehension and tidiness of the workspaces in VR, and this study compares standard links with nonlinear links with bundling(one to many, many to many) interaction with virtual data and information. The study will make use of state-of-the-art VR technologies such as Oculus Quest 2. Participants in the study will come to the Gilbert Place Building, room 3215. The study will be carried out in 2 sessions : Session 1 (90 minutes): Managing Links Task In this session, participants will work within a 3D workspace to complete tasks focused on managing links. The goal is to understand effective strategies for organizing links to improve the aesthetics of 3D workspaces. Session 2 (90 minutes): Graph Comprehension Task In this session, participants will be provided with a pre-loaded 3D workspace. They will answer a series of questions designed to evaluate how readable and interpretable the workspace is. Please note that it's not necessary for participants to complete both sessions at one go. Also, participants will be audio recorded, and their actions in VR will be recorded on the computer screen. Who Can Participate? We're looking for individuals who meet the following criteria: * Age 18 or older. * Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses or contact lenses are fine). Interested? For more information, please contact Ayush Roy at ayushroy24(a)vt.edu<mailto:ayushroy24@vt.edu>. The project is supervised by Dr. Doug A. Bowman in Computer Science. This experiment has been approved, as required, by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board, # 25-173. Best Regards, Ayush Roy PhD student, Computer Science https://wordpress.cs.vt.edu/3digroup/author/ayushroy24/ Group: https://wordpress.cs.vt.edu/3digroup/ Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech

1 0

Recruiting Participants: User Study on Validating Knowledge-Guided Question-Answer Pairs (Paid)
by Chekuri, Satvik 12 Sep '25

12 Sep '25

The DLR Laboratory in the Computer Science department is conducting a research study at Virginia Tech focused on evaluating Question-Answer pairs generated by large language models (LLMs) and traditional search methods. Your insights as someone with experience in academic content, particularly theses and dissertations, will be valuable for this research. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form below. We will reach out with more information via email. Link: https://forms.office.com/r/AvHCLci5Ut Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of questions and answers generated by LLMs aided by a Knowledge Graph to gather feedback to improve their relevance and clarity in academic contexts. Time Commitment: Approximately 30-45 minutes. Procedure: You will be asked to complete an online survey where you will evaluate questions and answers and provide feedback. Compensation: We plan to recruit up to about 35 participants. After the study is complete, participants will receive a $15 Amazon gift card, that should be opened right away, but can be spent later. Participant Qualifications: Current graduate students, undergraduate students with research experience, faculty members, or researchers; Adults(18+) If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Satvik Chekuri (satvikchekuri(a)vt.edu<mailto:satvikchekuri@vt.edu>). The project is supervised by Dr. Edward Fox in Computer Science Department. This experiment has been approved, as required, by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board under protocol #24-1087. Thanks & Regards, - - - - - - - Satvik Chekuri PhD Candidate Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech.

1 0

Help Shape the Future of Virtual AI Assistants – Participate in a VR Research Study!
by Ilo, Cory 10 Sep '25

10 Sep '25

Hi there! Are you interested in virtual reality (VR) and curious about how cutting-edge technology is shaping our digital experiences? The 3D Interaction (3DI) Group at Virginia Tech is currently seeking participants for a research study exploring how a virtual privacy assistant influences user privacy awareness and overall experience in VR environments. Your participation will contribute directly to the design and development of more intuitive, user-centered virtual assistants. Participants will be paid $12 for their participation in the study. Who Can Participate? We're looking for individuals who meet the following criteria: * Age 18 or older * Proficient in reading and writing in English * Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses or contact lenses are fine) This is a unique opportunity to experience advanced VR technology firsthand while playing a valuable role in shaping the future of digital privacy tools. Interested? For more information or to schedule a session, please contact Cory Ilo at ciilo(a)vt.edu. This study is supervised by Dr. Doug A. Bowman in the Department of Computer Science. It has been approved by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board under protocol number 25-589. Thank you for considering this opportunity—we hope to see you in VR soon! Best regards, The 3DI Research Team Virginia Tech Cory Ike[chukwu] Ilo, M.S. PhD Student Researcher 3D Interaction Group<https://wordpress.cs.vt.edu/3digroup/people/>, Virginia Tech, CS Dept. "Dreams without goals are just dreams. And ultimately, they fuel disappointment. On the road, to achieving your dreams, you must apply discipline but more importantly, consistency because without commitment you'll never start, but without consistency, you'll never finish." - Denzel Washington

1 0

Changes to employer panel schedule tonight
by Zier, Debbie 09 Sep '25

09 Sep '25

Please note: The employer panel scheduled for 7:30 PM today has been canceled. The panel scheduled for 6:15 PM will still be held as planned in 3100 Torgersen Hall. apologies for the late notice! Hope to see you all at 6:15 this evening! Best, Joan

1 0

FW: Request to Share VT-AREMA Career Event Flyer and Email
by Kinder-Potter, Sharon 09 Sep '25

09 Sep '25

From: Mantovani, Giovanni <gmantovani(a)vt.edu<mailto:gmantovani@vt.edu>> Sent: Monday, September 8, 2025 9:11 AM To: Cloyd, Renee <rcloyd(a)vt.edu<mailto:rcloyd@vt.edu>> Cc: West, Mary Beth <mbwest(a)vt.edu<mailto:mbwest@vt.edu>> Subject: Request to Share VT-AREMA Career Event Flyer and Email Hi Renee and Mary, I am part of the VT-AREMA Student Chapter, and our 9th Annual Railroad Career Event is coming up. Could you please share the attached event flyer and the email below with the entire ME Department and forward it to other department coordinators (especially Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial, and Computer Science)? This event is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Also, could you please CC me when sending the emails so students have my contact information in case they have questions? Thank you, and have a great week! Giovanni Mantovani ------------------------- Hello All, On Tuesday, October 7th, VT-AREMA will host its 9th Annual Career Dinner at the Inn at Virginia Tech. During this event, students will have the opportunity to network with company representatives from the railroad industry leaders who are interested in hiring undergraduate and graduate students in various engineering majors. This is a formal career event that will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. We will be hosting a social gathering, allowing students to interact with the various representatives, with dinner being served around 7:15 p.m. This is a small, invitation-only event. The intention is to create a personal environment that helps forge strong connections between students and company representatives. How to Apply: * Complete the questionnaire and submit your resume: https://forms.office.com/r/XnyaMVa8TT * Deadline: Saturday, September 27th at 12:00 p.m. The VT AREMA leadership team will review resumes and select 40 students to attend. Students who are selected will be notified by September 29th. We look forward to receiving your resumes and seeing you there! On behalf of, VT-AREMA

1 0

Seminar Talk: Friday, Sept. 12, 2:30-3:45pm, Classroom Building, Room 260
by Zier, Debbie 09 Sep '25

09 Sep '25

Palash Sashittal Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Virginia Tech Friday, September 12, 2:30 - 3:45pm Classroom Building, Room 260 Seminar: Inferring Cell Lineage Trees and Differentiation Maps from Lineage Tracing Data<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Palash_Sashittal1.html> Abstract: Reconstructing the cell lineage tree and differentiation map of cellular populations is essential not only for understanding normal development but also for studying complex diseases such as cancer. In tumors, lineage relationships and dysregulated cell-type transitions drive critical processes including clonal evolution, treatment resistance, and cancer cell plasticity. Recent advances in lineage tracing technologies have enabled simultaneous measurement of heritable barcodes and transcriptional states at single-cell resolution. However, these technologies do not capture every cell division or differentiation event, creating a need for computational methods to reconstruct the developmental and evolutionary history of cells from the lineage tracing data. In this talk, I will present two methods, Startle and Carta, to infer cell lineage trees and differentiation maps from single-cell lineage tracing data, respectively. I will demonstrate the application of these tools to developmental systems and discuss their potential to study tumor evolution and differentiation in cancer. Bio: Dr. Palash Sashittal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, he was a Postdoctoral Research Associate with Prof. Ben Raphael in the Computer Science Department at Princeton University. He received a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and B.Tech. in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay). His research focuses on the design of combinatorial and statistical algorithms to analyze and interpret sequencing data. Recent areas of emphasis include infectious disease evolution and transmission, cancer genome evolution, and cell fate mapping of developmental systems. _________________ Debbie Zier Executive Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 3160E Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-1369 [cid:image001.jpg@01DC216D.4ECEF490]

1 0

CS|Source: Professional Events, Announcements, and Opportunities
by Watson, Joan 08 Sep '25

08 Sep '25

[cid:af51af71-d45e-4696-ba07-55d4f814d80a] REMINDER! CS|Source Employer Discussion Panels on Tuesday, September 9, in 3100 Torgersen Hall: * 6:30 — 7:15 PM From Code to Career: Skills That Make You Stand Out Beyond the Degree * 7:30 — 8:15 PM The Future of Software Engineering: Trends, Tools, and Technologies to Watch Stay up-to-date in JobHub! * Remember to post your updated resume to the CS JobHub<https://jobhub.cs.vt.edu/> * Add keywords to facilitate employer searches and matches * Gain access to employer announcements and opportunities exclusively for CS students For assistance with tech support, please contact Ben Stein (bbradner(a)vt.edu<mailto:bbradner@vt.edu>). Careers At National Student Clearinghouse The National Student Clearinghouse has posted an entry level Associate DevSecOps and Cloud Engineer<https://studentclearinghouse.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=3…> <https://studentclearinghouse.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=3…> position (hiring for 2 full-time engineers) and thought we would reach out to see if you are able to circulate the job posting amongst the engineering students and potentially alumni. There is also a senior level role that would be better aligned for alumni based on the years of experience required: Senior DevOps Engineer<https://studentclearinghouse.hrmdirect.com/employment/job-opening.php?req=3…>. For awareness, completed applications are required for full consideration and the links above direct you to the job postings where you can find more information. *************** Joan Monahan Watson, Ph.D. Director of Assessment and Strategy Department of Computer Science Affiliate Faculty Center for Educational Networks and Impacts (CENI) Virginia Tech 3160D Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 Phone: 540.231.8874 Email: jmwatson(a)vt.edu<mailto:jmwatson@vt.edu> [cid:74e8e116-9b55-40d5-8aed-ce1a2e98b988] Author of Learning with AI: The K-12 Teacher’s Guide to a New Era of Human Learning<https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/54027/learning-ai?srsltid=AfmBOooALyy…>

1 0

Xrai Lab Call for Participants – VR Teams in Military Battle Drill
by McMahan, Ryan 08 Sep '25

08 Sep '25

CALL FOR VR TEAMS! Experience a Military Battle Drill! The Extended Reality & Artificial Intelligence (Xrai) Lab at Virginia Tech is inviting you to participate in a research study focused on figuring out how groups of people and virtual humans perform as a military team in virtual reality (VR). The data collected will be used to develop multimodal and machine learning models of team performance based on a VR battle drill simulation. Eligible participants: • Are 18 to 64 years old, • Have 20/20 vision without or with contacts (glasses are not permitted during the study), • Can walk and use both hands, • Are willing to attend a 2-hour in-person experimental session in Gilbert Place, • Are willing to participate as a team with up to three other participants, • Are proficient in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English, • Are U.S. Citizens, • Are NOT pregnant, • Do NOT have pre-existing binocular vision abnormalities or psychiatric disorders, • Have NOT recently undergone any medical procedure (including cosmetic procedures), and • Do NOT suffer from a heart condition or other serious medical condition. Participants will receive a $45 Amazon gift card in compensation for participating in and completing the study, if they are not military personnel. If you are interested in more information, please review the consent form document for the study and verify your eligibility here: https://forms.gle/mFMMrzLx2NuztWZa8. After completing the online survey, the research team will reach out to you via email to confirm a time for the research session. This project is supervised by Dr. Ryan P. McMahan (rpm(a)vt.edu<mailto:rpm@vt.edu>, 540-231-9722) from the Department of Computer Science. This experiment has been approved, as required, by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board. Ryan P. McMahan, Ph.D. Director, Center for Human-Computer Interaction (CHCI) Professor, Department of Computer Science (CS) Virginia Tech

1 0

[PARTICIPANTS NEEDED] Enhancing Instructional Experience in Collaborative Programming Learning
by Xiaohang Tang 06 Sep '25

06 Sep '25

Greetings CHCI folks, The *Programming with Intelligent Machines & Environments Lab* at Virginia Tech is seeking individuals to participate in a study that aims to improve the experience of providing programming feedback in large-scale programming courses. We are looking for participants who have* teaching experience (e.g., instructor, GSI, TA, tutor)* and experience in Python to test a tool for viewing students' code and sending feedback at scale. The study session would be in-person in Blacksburg(220 Gilbert). The study will last about *60 mins*. Participants will be *compensated $25 *for their time and effort upon completion of the user study. Please fill out the form https://forms.gle/nFzHo57rHAHJHCj27 <https://forms.gle/nFzHo57rHAHJHCj27> if you are interested in participating. If you have any questions or would like to know more about the study, please don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information, please contact Xiaohang Tang (xiaohangtang(a)vt.edu). This study is being conducted under the supervision of Dr. Yan Chen (ych(a)vt.edu). Best Regards, Xiaohang Tang Ph.D. Student | PRIME Lab <https://chensivan.github.io/>, Virginia Tech

1 0