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CS Faculty Candidate Seminars, February 17-21
by Zier, Debbie 14 Feb '25

14 Feb '25

CS Faculty Candidate Seminars, February 17-21 All Seminars are 9:30 - 10:30am in 1100 Torgersen Hall Monday, February 17: Zhiyuan Yu Seminar: Cyber-Physical Security Through the Lens of AI-Enabled Systems<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Zhiyuan_Yu.html> Wednesday, February 19: Binghui Wang Seminar: Towards Provable Security and Privacy in Trustworthy Machine Learning *Binghui has asked that his talk not be published, the flyer for his talk is attached, please do not share outside of Virginia Tech** Thursday, February 20: Junyi Li Seminar: New Efficient Algorithms for Nested Machine Learning Problems<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Junyi_Li.html> Friday, February 21: Joe Calandrino Seminar: Research that Informs and Advances Policy<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Joe_Calandrino.html> Have a good weekend! Debbie _________________ Debbie Zier Executive Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 1180 Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-1369 [cid:image001.jpg@01DB7EEC.A07FBFF0]

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FW: Invitation to attend WiDS-Blacksburg events, Feb 18-19
by Yao, Danfeng 14 Feb '25

14 Feb '25

FYI. WiDS info next week (registration today). Sorry if you’ve seen this multiple times. From: "Patterson, Angie" <anneff(a)vt.edu> Date: Friday, February 14, 2025 at 8:28 AM To: "Yao, Danfeng" <danfeng(a)vt.edu> Subject: Re: Invitation to attend WiDS-Blacksburg events, Feb 18-19 Daphne, Hello and happy Valentine's Day! Please consider distributing this "day of" reminder for WiDS to CS students/faculty/staff. Thank you! - Angie Today is the last day to register for next week's Women in Data Science (WiDS) Conference! We’d love to see everyone there! Event Details: * Location: Virginia Tech Blacksburg Campus * Dates: February 18 - 19 * Cost: FREE (Registration<https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/wids-blacksburg-2025/registration> required - for food headcount) * Website: WiDS Blacksburg 2025<https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/wids-blacksburg-2025/home> Schedule: * Wednesday, Feb 18 (Data & Decision Science Building Atrium): * 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Networking Mixer in Data & Decision Science Building (Atrium) * Thursday, Feb 19 (New Classroom Building 220): * 4:45 PM - 5:10 PM: Registration * 5:10 PM - 5:20 PM: Opening Remarks * 5:20 PM - 6:00 PM: Opening Keynote Speaker: Dr. Neeta A. Eapen * 6:20 PM - 7:00 PM: Research and Project Poster Session * 7:10 PM - 8:00 PM: Panel Session - Theme: Mentoring the Next Generation of Data Scientists * 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Closing Keynote Speaker: Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar Thank you, WiDS Organizing Committee ________________________________ From: Patterson, Angie <anneff(a)vt.edu> Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 6:59 PM To: Yao, Danfeng <danfeng(a)vt.edu> Subject: Invitation to attend WiDS-Blacksburg events, Feb 18-19 Daphne, Would you be so kind as to invite CS faculty and students to the upcoming (free) events organized by Women in Data Science (WiDS)? Here is a link<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iPiLi1bfnaZGWrQ9uOGosRkhb-Xe8bxB/view?usp=…> to our flyer. Open to all, regardless of gender identity. We do ask for registration by February 14th, for planning purposes. Thank you! Angie

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Participants needed for a study on students' choice of elective courses
by Hooshangi, Sara 13 Feb '25

13 Feb '25

Hi there, We are looking for participants for a study to explore students' choice of CS elective courses at VT. In this study, students will be asked to complete a survey that asks questions about their experiences with group work, elective courses and other related topics. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. Participants will be put in several draws for a chance to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card after completion and submitting the survey. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. If you are interested, please start here: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AXpg5Z4yHw This study is under IRB # 23-1060. ---------------------------------- Sara Hooshangi, Ph.D. Collegiate Associate Professor Director of Master of Engineering Program Department of Computer Science Virginia Tech

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Invitation to the PhD Final Defense for Rifat Mansur
by Shaffer, Cliff 13 Feb '25

13 Feb '25

I am pleased to invite you to attend the PhD Final Defense Exam for Mr. Ri. Time: Thursday, February 13 at 1:00 Where: Zoom https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/87130999172?pwd=hIDrx80ZErTTCaQ7JVInDbq69FBv… Title: Towards Improving Students’ Software Testing Practices using Modified Mutation Testing Abstract: Mutation testing (MT) is a powerful technique for evaluating the quality of software test suites by introducing small faults, called “mutations,” into code to assess if tests can detect them. While MT has been extensively applied in the software industry, its use in program- ming courses faces both computational and pedagogical barriers. My research investigates the successful integration of MT in a post-CS2 Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) course with 3-4 week long programming projects. Through a comprehensive study across multiple semesters, I investigated three key aspects: the computational demands of MT in an ed- ucational auto-grading system, the effect of MT on student test suite quality and coding practices, and the development of a framework for effectively integrating MT in program- ming courses. Initially, the implementation of standard MT showed mixed results due to inadequate stock feedback. This prompted me to develop a tailored approach that modified MT feedback, while also incorporating additional documentation and training materials. I also observed a noticeable increase (30-50 seconds per submission) in the auto-grader’s pro- cessing time and feedback turnaround time when using MT, raising concerns about potential server overload. At the same time, the collection of changes made to the environment and requirements as part of this intervention led to an overall reduction in the number of sub- missions per student needed to complete the projects. My findings suggest that students using modified MT, as a group, demonstrated higher quality test suites and wrote better solution code compared to students whose test suites were graded on code coverage. This version of MT with modified feedback also showed positive results in student understanding and application of MT principles compared to MT with stock feedback. Analysis of IDE activity data, code submissions, and 38 semi-structured student interviews led me to provide a framework for introducing MT as an effective intervention. Thus, my research provides a framework for effectively integrating MT in programming courses, contributing to improved student test suite development and offering practical guidelines for instructors introducing MT in undergraduate Computer Science courses. -- Dr. Cliff Shaffer Professor Department of Computer Science Phone: (540) 231-4354 Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 WWW: www.cs.vt.edu/~shaffer<http://www.cs.vt.edu/~shaffer>

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REMINDER: Seminar 10:00 - 11:00am this Morning!
by Zier, Debbie 13 Feb '25

13 Feb '25

REMINDER: Seminar from 10:00 - 11:00am in 1100 Torgersen this morning! Thursday, February 13: Shashank Sonkar Seminar: Pedagogy Meets AI: Innovations and Challenges in LLM-Powered Learning<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Shashank_Sonkar.html> Join Via Zoom: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/82463549713?pwd=IwUwrfPP4l0sR8hatinPxFemLt2p… Meeting ID: 824 6354 9713 | Passcode: 538867 _________________ Debbie Zier Executive Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 1180 Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-1369 [cid:image001.jpg@01DB7DF4.96A52860]

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PARTICIPANTS NEEDED: Branching Code Paths in Data Science Study
by Harden, Jesse 13 Feb '25

13 Feb '25

Greetings, We are looking for participants in a user study about branching code paths in data science endeavors. As part of this study, you will complete a pre-study survey, 2 data analysis tasks, a post-task survey, and potentially participate in an interview session. During the pre-study survey, you will answer questions about your prior experience with Python and computational notebooks. You will then be asked to submit your availability to complete 2 separate sessions for data analysis. You will then be assigned a time to complete the 2 sessions task based on your stated availability. After you complete the task, you will fill out a survey regarding your experiences with the task, as well as the software and space used for the task. The task and post-task survey combined is expected to take no more than 3 hours. To participate, you must have prior experience with Jupyter Notebooks and data analysis in Python. Participation in this study is voluntary, and any data you provide will be kept confidential. If you choose to participate in this study and complete the task and post-task survey, you will be compensated $30 in the form of an Amazon gift card. You must complete both the task and survey to receive the compensation. If you are interested, please complete this pre-study survey<https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AWlQ0Z5TyJ> to determine if you are eligible. Additionally, if you have any questions, please contact Jesse Harden at jessemh(a)vt.edu<mailto:jessemh@vt.edu>. Thank you for your time and consideration, Jesse Harden

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Phd Final Defense for Redwan Ibne Seraj Khan -- 2/14, 11:00am, Gilbert 4001
by Ali R. Butt 12 Feb '25

12 Feb '25

I am pleased to invite you to attend the PhD Final Defense for Redwan Ibne Seraj Khan. Time: Friday, February 14 at 11:00 am Where: Gilbert 4001 Zoom: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/89598775660?pwd=KkRRPaggwV6RoClIAPmaJJBFamdX… Zoom Meeting ID: 895 9877 5660 Zoom Passcode: 400314 Title: Towards Workload-aware Efficient Machine Learning Systems Abstract: Machine learning (ML) is transforming various aspects of our lives, driving the need for computing systems that efficiently support large-scale ML workloads. As models grow in size and complexity, existing systems struggle to adapt, limiting both performance and flexibility. Additionally, ML techniques can enhance traditional computing tasks, but current systems lack the adaptability to integrate these advancements effectively. Building systems for running machine learning workloads, and running workloads using machine learning - both require a careful understanding of the nature of the systems and ML models. In this dissertation we design and develop a series of novel storage and scheduling solutions by bringing attention to the unique characteristics of systems and workloads. We find that by designing systems that are more attuned to the characteristics of the applications, i.e., ensuring workload-awareness, we can get a dramatic increase in the performance of the applications and the utilization of the systems used to run them.In this talk, we will demonstrate that by leveraging workload-aware strategies we can significantly enhance the efficiency (e.g., reduced training time, increased throughput, lower latency) and flexibility (e.g., improved ease of use, deployment, and programmability) of machine learning systems. By accounting for workload dynamicity and heterogeneity, these principles can guide the design of next-generation ML systems, ensuring adaptability to emerging models and evolving hardware technologies.

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CS|Source Weekly: Events, Announcements, and Opportunities
by Watson, Joan 12 Feb '25

12 Feb '25

[cid:5317567a-a2bb-47f9-9d36-6afa3df99bd8] Remember to add your resume to CS JobHub<https://jobhub.cs.vt.edu/>! For assistance with tech support, please contact Ben Stein (bbradner(a)vt.edu<mailto:bbradner@vt.edu>). **************************************************************************************** Looking for a Full-Time Position? Check this out!! Evinova is currently looking for a Software Engineer to join our Product Engineering team. This role requires someone that codes daily, is self-motivated, and has a passion for development. We’ll rely on you to bring your technical acumen to help the team continue to deliver world class solutions. In this role, you will be a Software Engineer in one of the product engineering teams at Evinova, building apps and web based products used in clinical trials. The Product Engineering organization consists of several self-organized/managed multi-functional teams with the people and skills needed to deliver our innovative digital products and solutions to patients and healthcare providers participating in clinical trials around the world. We are working with agile methodology delivering a new release of the software product with program increments every quarter. We are proud to have one of the best software development teams you can find with deep technical and business skills to craft the product from early ideas and requirements through full implementation and support. This is a place where you can grow and learn together with other people delivering software with a great purpose. CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW<https://astrazeneca.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers/job/US---Gaithersburg---M…> <https://astrazeneca.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers/job/US---Gaithersburg---M…> -- Hurry! Deadline is February 15, 2025 **************************************************************************************** Diversity in Tech Day at Deutsche Bank Submit your online registration application<https://db.recsolu.com/app/collect/event/mbCij6BjXCYQtFI6g7ppHQ> for a chance to meet recruiters and tech colleagues in Cary, NC, to learn about Technology, Data & Innovation. At Deutsche Bank, we can support you in making the start to your career that’s right for you with limitless opportunities for your professional and personal growth. You’ll explore a culture where everyone is embraced as an individual. Sign up to be selected to attend the free in-person event<https://db.recsolu.com/app/collect/event/mbCij6BjXCYQtFI6g7ppHQ> (there is no virtual option). The event is designed for sophomore and junior students who are diverse (for example, students who identify as women, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, LGBTQI, veterans, people with disabilities, and those who may be diverse in other ways) and/or students who can show a commitment to diversity with an interest in technology, and in working and living in NC (Cary area). February 14th is the deadline to apply for an opportunity to attend. Deutsche Bank Virtual Information Session February 19, 2025 — 5:00pm - 6:00pm Virtual Information Session Registration Deadline: 11:59 PM EST, February 18th, 2025 [RSVP<https://db.recsolu.com/app/collect/event/41idpAFbRMI41p2IP0aP7A>] This info session is an opportunity to learn more about our industry, our bank and culture. In addition, we will share information about our application and interview process for our upcoming intern and graduate programs. During our Q&A session you will be able to directly have your questions answered by one of our Early Recruitment Team members. This is a great opportunity to learn and connect with our team at Deutsche Bank through this attendee-driven session. Please Note – Early Careers recruiters focus on the recruitment and development of undergraduate talent for our summer internship programs. If you are a graduate student or young professional, please check out our professional recruitment opportunities here<https://careers.db.com/> to learn more. **************************************************************************************** Paid VR Developer Position An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Industrial Design, Computer Science, and Industrial System Engineering at Virginia Tech is seeking a motivated undergraduate or graduate student for a paid VR developer position. The wage position can begin immediately and may last until the end of May. Project Overview: Join ToySphere<https://icat.vt.edu/projects/supported-research/sead-grants/2024-2025/major…>: Reuse, Replicate, Reimagine, an interdisciplinary research project supported by the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) at VT. This collaborative project aims to address waste issues in the toy industry by exploring the potential of interactive virtual reality (VR) to promote sharing behaviors and sustainable practices. As a student developer, you will contribute to the development of VR environments that integrate 3D-scanned toys, helping to create immersive user experiences that offer users a virtual space to store and preserve memories of their toys. Responsibilities and Duties Develop and implement virtual reality (VR) experiences using Unity to provide immersive interactions with 3D-scanned toys. Required Qualifications Successfully completed coursework or prior project experience in human-computer interaction (HCI), computer graphics, and VR/AR. Proficiency in Unity and experience developing interactive VR applications. Programming proficiency in C# Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively Self-motivated and proactive Responsible and able to complete tasks with high quality in a timely manner (Optional) Experienced in developing multiplayer VR games Conditions of Employment This position is compensated at an hourly rate of $15–$18 per hour, depending on expertise and background. Expected commitment of 5-10 hours per week. The work will be done in person in Gilbert Place, Blacksburg. The project timeline from hiring time to May 30, 2025, with the possibility of extension based on project progress and funding availability Application Procedure Apply to the position by filling out the following survey with your resume/CV and a portfolio or project description demonstrating VR development experience: https://forms.office.com/r/NSVBsSiSRi If you have any questions, send an email to sangwonlee(a)vt.edu<mailto:sangwonlee@vt.edu> Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Once filled, the survey will be closed. Please submit your application by February 20th to ensure it is reviewed. **************************************************************************************** APPLY TO Break Through Tech's AI Program<https://www.breakthroughtech.org/programs/the-ai-program/>! Break Through Tech<https://www.breakthroughtech.org/programs/sprinternships/> is now accepting applications<https://bit.ly/break-through-tech-ai-application> for the 2025-26 AI Program, which will begin in May 2025! The AI Program<https://www.breakthroughtech.org/programs/the-ai-program/> is a free, virtual, one-year extracurricular experience that equips you with the skills needed to secure a job in the fastest-growing areas of tech: data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). Developed by industry and academic leaders, you will master the skills necessary to become a successful machine learning engineer. Complete our ML Foundations curriculum over the summer and tackle industry projects hosted by leading companies during the academic year. Along the way, you will learn practical, industry-relevant skills that will qualify you for entry-level jobs in the field, including building data analysis pipelines and utilizing common ML and AI tools and libraries to train and validate ML models. At the same time, you will receive career coaching, mentorship, and summer internship placement support, all aimed at helping you successfully launch your career in machine learning and AI. All fellows who complete the program will receive a $2,000 award. (See the attached flyer for more information.) Apply here: https://bit.ly/break-through-tech-ai-application. The Final Application Deadline is February 24. **************************************************************************************** Virginia Governor’s Fellows Program 2025 Applications Are Now Open — Undergrad and Grad Students! Each year in the Commonwealth of Virginia the Governor invites rising college seniors, graduating college seniors, and students in graduate/professional school to participate in the Virginia Governor’s Fellows Program. This is an amazing opportunity for students interested in public service and policymaking to experience firsthand the administration of state government in the Commonwealth. The program is open to all majors – students are placed in different secretariats based on their interests and experience. The applicant must be a Virginia resident OR enrolled in a Virginia college or university. Applications for 2025 are now open, and will be due on Monday, March 3rd, 2025. As part of this program, students will receive a stipend of $3,600 for their two-month service from June 2nd, 2025 to August 1st, 2025. Program details and commonly asked questions can be found on the FAQ page of the program website<https://www.governor.virginia.gov/fellows/frequently-asked-questions/>. If you are interested in the program, please visit the Virginia Governor’s Fellow Program homepage<https://www.governor.virginia.gov/fellows/> or view the attached flyers! Submit your application today!<https://www.governor.virginia.gov/fellows/application/> **************************************************************************************** Assistance Needed with PHP Prof. Dan Crawford (quantum/theoretical chemistry at VT) is seeking an undergraduate or graduate CS student with strong knowledge of PHP to help debug and update an existing web app. The bespoke, interactive voting system used by an international scientific organization currently works only with older PHP versions, but it needs to be updated to run on a modern web server. For more information, please contact Dr. Crawford at crawdad(a)vt.edu<mailto:crawdad@vt.edu> **************************************************************************************** Work with the NSLC this summer! The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) is offering an Artificial Intelligence program this summer. The NSLC offers pre-college summer programs for high school students facilitated by current and recently graduated college students. The NSLC’s main focus is on developing leadership capacity within ambitious young adults while introducing the wide array of career possibilities within their fields of interest. The NSLC is looking to hire several undergraduate students and recent college graduates to serve as Team Advisors (TA) and Assistant Team Advisors (ATA) for our Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity programs. We are seeking applicants who study or have a significant background in matching learning, robotics, natural language processing, and deep learning. These programs will be running at UC Berkeley, Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. Both the TA and ATA positions are paid and include covered transportation, room and board, and meals. Any interested applicants can learn more about the position and apply here<https://portal.nslcleaders.org/jobs>. For any questions, please contact jobs(a)nslcleaders.org<mailto:jobs@nslcleaders.org>. (See the attached flyer for more information.) *************** Joan Monahan Watson, Ph.D. Director of Administrative Operations 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>

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Fw: [Icicle-announce] ICICLE Educational Fellows Program Announcement
by Watson, Joan 12 Feb '25

12 Feb '25

Forwarding as requested from our colleagues at NCWIT. *************** Joan Monahan Watson, Ph.D. Director of Administrative Operations 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> ________________________________ The National Science Foundation-funded AI Institute for Intelligent Cyberinfrastructure with Computational Learning in the Environment (ICICLE) is now accepting applications for its 2025 Educational Fellows Program. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career educators and researchers from all domains and disciplines who are actively enrolled in or formally affiliated with a US-based institution, are eligible to apply. Those interested in developing skills and/or positing research questions using AI-enabled cyberinfrastructure and knowledge systems to support areas such as digital agriculture, food access and security, and animal ecology are strongly encouraged to apply. Fellows will be positioned to apply their educational, community building, and workforce development expertise in a practical experience setting that broadens the impact of ICICLE's mission. For more information about or to apply to the ICICLE Educational Fellows Program, please visit: https://icicle.osu.edu/education-and-outreach/icicle-educational-fellows-pr… An informational webinar will be held on February 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET (12:00 PM CT, 11:00 AM MT, 10:00 AM PT). To register for this session, please visit: https://iu.zoom.us/meeting/register/j5hKst08T3u0SlGj1qZZxg#/registration<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/iu.zoom.us/meeting/register/j5hKst08T3u0…> Deadline to apply for the Fellowship is February 24, 2025.

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TIME CHANGE: Seminar, February 13
by Zier, Debbie 12 Feb '25

12 Feb '25

Please note: Time Change for Seminar tomorrow!! Shashank Sonkar's Seminar<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Shashank_Sonkar.html> will start at 10:00am, Thursday, February 13 in 1100 Torgersen As always, if you are able to make it campus, we ask that you join us in person. If this is not possible, please join via the zoom link provided below. Join via Zoom: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/82463549713?pwd=IwUwrfPP4l0sR8hatinPxFemLt2p… Meeting ID: 824 6354 9713 | Passcode: 538867 Please let me know if you have any questions. Debbie _________________ Debbie Zier Executive Assistant and Office Manager Department of Computer Science (0106) 1180 Torgersen Hall 620 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-1369 [cid:image001.jpg@01DB7D39.49622BE0]

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