- Gradstudents - mailman.cs.vt.edu

POSTPONED: Seminar by Weixin Liang scheduled for Wed, Feb. 26
by Zier, Debbie 24 Feb '25

24 Feb '25

The Seminar talk by Weixin Liang, scheduled for this Wednesday, February 26 has been postponed. POSTPONED: Weixin Liang Seminar: Societal Impact of Large Language Models<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Weixin_Liang.html> _________________ 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@01DB86C0.A68FDB10]

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CS Faculty Candidate Seminars, February 24-26
by Zier, Debbie 21 Feb '25

21 Feb '25

CS Faculty Candidate Seminars, February 24-26 9:30-10:30am in 1100 Torgersen Hall Monday, February 24: Peng Jiang Seminar: Programming Heterogeneous Systems by Constructing Domain-Specific Source-to-Source Compilers<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Peng_Jiang.html> Wednesday, February 26: Weixin Liang Seminar: Societal Impact of Large Language Models<https://website.cs.vt.edu/research/Seminars/Weixin_Liang.html> _________________ 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@01DB847D.658EAFF0]

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Seeking Research Participants - Sustainable AI
by Eli Tilevich 20 Feb '25

20 Feb '25

We are conducting a research study on AI Sustainability. This study explores how graduate students like you use, analyze, or develop AI in their research and the factors that influence these decisions. We invite you to participate in an anonymous online survey that will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your participation will contribute to understanding graduate student perceptions of AI usage for social, environmental, and economic sustainability and sustainability of AI technology. Eligibility: * You must be a graduate student at Virginia Tech. * Your research must involve using, analyzing, or developing AI. Compensation: Participants will receive $10 for completing the survey. How to Participate: If you are eligible and interested, please click the link below to access the survey: <https://forms.office.com/r/v629Hfgj6J> https://forms.office.com/r/v629Hfgj6J Your responses will remain completely anonymous, and your participation is entirely voluntary. This research has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Virginia Tech (IRB protocol #: 24-1144). Thank you for considering this opportunity to contribute to research on sustainable AI practices. Best regards, Qin Zhu, PhD | Associate Professor Virginia Tech | Department of Engineering Education 727 Prices Fork Rd, 340 Data & Decision Sciences Building Blacksburg, VA 24060 (540) 231-7593 | <mailto:qinzhu@vt.edu> qinzhu(a)vt.edu | <https://www.lancset.org/> LANCSET Lab Thank you in advance, Kylee -- Kylee Shiekh (she/her) Virginia Tech | Department of Engineering Education ICTAS Doctoral Scholar 2024 M.S. Quantum Software Engineering 2024 B.S. Computational Applied Mathematics 2022 kshiekh(a)vt.edu <mailto:kshiekh@vt.edu>

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Fw: GPSS Meeting Today | Announcements
by Moussad, Bernard 20 Feb '25

20 Feb '25

Hey everyone, Just a reminder there is a GPSS meeting today (2/20/2025) in the GLC Multipurpose Room at 5:30 pm and you can also join over zoom. Also, the GPSS Symposium deadline has been extended to 2/25/2025 so please feel free to submit some of your current work to present to your fellow grad students! Lastly, GPSS elections are ongoing. Any grad student can apply for any position so if you are curious about any particular opening, just shoot an email to the current officers in those positions. When you apply, just send your completed application back to bernardm(a)vt.edu<mailto:bernardm@vt.edu>. Hope you all have a great rest of the week! Sincerely, Bernie ________________________________ From: Murphy, Quiyana <qmurphy(a)vt.edu> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2025 11:05 AM To: gpss-senator-g(a)vt.edu <gpss-senator-g(a)vt.edu>; gpss-exec-board-g(a)vt.edu <gpss-exec-board-g(a)vt.edu> Cc: Surface, Lauren <lkeister(a)vt.edu>; Cotrupi, Catherine <cotrupi(a)vt.edu> Subject: [GPSS Senators] GPSS Meeting Today | Announcements Dear Senators, Please see below for some announcements. A reminder that we have a senate meeting Today. Upcoming GPSS Meeting: Today 2-20-25 from 5:30pm - 7:00pm hybrid in the GLC MPR and over zoom Open forum runs from 5:00pm - 5:30pm. Zoom Link<https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oduGprj8oHdZKaxJ6rzXPYMSni…> | Sign-In Link<https://forms.office.com/r/U3rUf2PHAP> * Agendas, approved minutes, and slides from past meetings can be found on our website: https://gpss.vt.edu/the-senate/senate-meetings-minutes/minutes.html * Today's Meeting Agenda is attached and can be found online<https://gpss.vt.edu/the-senate/senate-meetings-minutes/minutes.html> * The slides for today's meeting: * See slides for Hokie Wellness attached (they will give a presentation today) * GPSS slides will be posted online<https://gpss.vt.edu/the-senate/senate-meetings-minutes/minutes.html> just before the meeting * Meeting Minutes from the last GPSS Meeting are attached. We will vote on these minutes at today's meeting. After the minutes are approved, they will be posted online<https://gpss.vt.edu/the-senate/senate-meetings-minutes/minutes.html> GPSS ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. GPSS Graduate Student Research Symposium Call for Abstracts: Join us for the 41st Annual GPSS Research Symposium! Students from all disciplines are invited to join and showcase their research. We also invite any interested students to attend and learn more about research being done by students and professionals across the university! The theme of this year's symposium is "Future of Research: Empowerment, Innovation, and Education." The symposium will take place on March 26th. Projects can be fully completed and analyzed, proposed studies, or research-in-progress. Students have the opportunity to present a poster, a symposium presentation, or a flash talk! Ready to present? Check out the abstract application form: https://forms.office.com/r/T77pi5djjr. * The abstract submission deadline has been extended until Tuesday, February 25th. * Please contact the co-chairs Atlas Vernier atlas(a)vt.edu<mailto:atlas@vt.edu> and Ishveen Kaur ishveen(a)vt.edu<mailto:ishveen@vt.edu> with any questions. More details on the Symposium can be found on our website: GPSS Symposium<https://gpss.vt.edu/programs/gsars.html>. 2. Applications for the GPSS Executive Board are open: Applications for the 2025-2026 GPSS Executive Board are open. These applications are due March 11th. To apply you must fill out the election packet<https://virginiatech.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/GPSS/Shared%20Documents/Gen…>. All graduate students are eligible to apply. Submit your completed Candidate Packet to the Elections Subcommittee Chair via email to bernardm(a)vt.edu<mailto:bernardm@vt.edu>. Questions regarding your Candidate Packet should be directed to bernardm(a)vt.edu<mailto:bernardm@vt.edu>. Questions regarding the Executive Board positions and duties can be directed to the appropriate Executive Board Member: * President | Ronnie Mondal (mondal(a)vt.edu<mailto:mondal@vt.edu>) * Vice President | vacant * Director of Programs | Julia Shapiro (juliams22(a)vt.edu<mailto:juliams22@vt.edu>) * Director of Advocacy | Akshay Anil (akshayanil(a)vt.edu<mailto:akshayanil@vt.edu>) * Director of Finance | Doug Harrison (dougjh(a)vt.edu<mailto:dougjh@vt.edu>) * Director of Communications | Quiyana Murphy (qmurphy(a)vt.edu<mailto:qmurphy@vt.edu>) * Director of Events | Brian Chan (brianchan1(a)vt.edu<mailto:brianchan1@vt.edu>) 3. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. Coffee with Cranwell: Do you have questions about immigration that don’t quite fit into an advising appointment? Looking for a welcoming space to connect with fellow international students? Grab Coffee with Cranwell, hosted by the Cranwell International Center in collaboration with Hokie Wellness! This informal gathering provides an opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and explore strategies for navigating immigration with support from international student advisers and a wellness coach—all over coffee and tea. This event takes place the 4-6 pm in room 1025 in The Cranwell Center every first Friday of every month: 3/7 and 4/4. See attached flyer for more details. 2. Lunch Conversation with Dean Suprenant: Join us for a casual lunch and conversation with Dean Suprenant! This is a great opportunity for graduate 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 the Dean and connect with fellow students. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and fostering an open dialogue! Please RSVP by February 28, 2025: https://forms.office.com/r/i8zkZjrNC2 3. Know Your Rights: Housing Edition: The KNOW YOUR RIGHTS series aims to support, empower, and educate students so they can make the most informed decision about navigating life on and off campus. Food is provided for this hybrid event scheduled for February 24, 2025 from 5:30-6:30pm in GLC Room F. For more info and to register for the Zoom link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xpFcDRePRnWAyBQrMwmjvw Best, Quiyana Murphy [signature_1776432225] Quiyana Murphy PhD Candidate, Mathematics Director of Communications, GPSS<http://gpss.vt.edu/> | gpss(a)vt.edu<mailto:gpss@vt.edu> Get in Touch with the GPSS<https://forms.office.com/r/JbGR3r5nku>

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Study Recruitment: Interaction Study with a Presentation System
by Keelawat, Panayu 17 Feb '25

17 Feb '25

Dear all, The Programming with Intelligent Machines & Environments Lab (PRIME Lab) at Virginia Tech is seeking individuals to participate in a 30-minute in-person study focused on exploring interaction techniques for preparing presentation materials from classroom discussions. We are specifically looking for individuals with teaching experience (e.g., instructors, UTAs, GTAs, etc.) who have prepared presentation materials for a class. In this study, participants will interact with simulated discussion and use multimodal inputs (e.g., voice and gestures) to generate, refine, and update slide content. Participants will be compensated $15 for their time and effort upon completion of the study. The research protocol for this study has been reviewed and approved by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board (IRB #24-1020). If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/fwewxb4c2Aqi7fd76 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 Panayu Keelawat (panayu(a)vt.edu<mailto:panayu@vt.edu>). This study is being conducted under the supervision of Dr. Yan Chen (ych(a)vt.edu<mailto:ych@vt.edu>). Best regards, Panayu Keelawat PhD Student, Computer Science, Virginia Tech panayu(a)vt.edu<mailto:panayu@vt.edu>

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invitation to Atul Bharadwaj's MS thesis defense, 2:00 PM on Wednesday, February 19
by Lenwood S. Heath 17 Feb '25

17 Feb '25

You are invited to Atul Bharadwaj's MS thesis defense, 2:00 PM on Wednesday, February 19, in 1210 Torgersen. The abstract for the defense is below. There is no Zoom option; just drop in! -- Lenwood S. Heath Professor 2160J Torgersen Hall Department of Computer Science Cell phone: (540) 392-6672 Virginia Tech FAX: (540) 231-6075 Blacksburg, VA 24061-0106 Email: heath(a)vt.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Message and signature (c)2025 Lenwood S. Heath All rights reserved -------------------------------------------------------------------------- COVID-19 Variant Detection through Genomic Sequences and Jaccard Similarities Atul Bharadwaj The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgent need for efficient genomic surveillance to track the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study developed a computational framework to enhance variant detection by leveraging a database-driven approach and genomic sequence analysis. The framework utilizes MySQL database architecture where each variant is stored in distinct tables, enabling rapid comparison and classification of new variants through Jaccard similarity calculations. The approach employs advanced bioinformatics tools including Sourmash for signature generation and NumPy for computational analysis, alongside Python-MySQL connectors for seamless database interactions. The system implements similarity thresholds of 0.817 for primary classification and 0.867 for secondary validation to determine variant group membership. Both whole-genome and spike-only sequence data were analyzed to compare their effectiveness in identifying variants of concern, with the database structure accommodating both types of genomic data. The results demonstrated the framework's ability to accurately detect and classify SARS-CoV-2 variants with high sensitivity and specificity. When a new variant is introduced, the system calculates Jaccard similarity scores between the new variant and existing variant tables, automatically creating new tables for potentially novel variants that fall below-established similarity thresholds. The study highlighted the potential of spike-only sequences as a cost-effective alternative for variant detection in resource-limited settings, while also revealing their limitations compared to whole-genome analysis. This research contributes to global genomic surveillance efforts by providing scalable database tools for rapid variant identification, aiding public health strategies, vaccine development, and therapeutic interventions.

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PhD Final Defense for Frank Wanye: Fast & Accurate Graph Clustering
by Wuchun Feng 16 Feb '25

16 Feb '25

I am pleased to invite you to attend the PhD Final Defense for Frank Wanye, as articulated below. When: Monday, February 17 at 3:00 p.m. Where: Torgersen 2050 or via Zoom @ https://virginiatech.zoom.us/my/wfeng What: Fast and Accurate Graph Clustering Graph clustering, also known as community detection, is a fundamental problem in graph analytics with applications across a wide variety of domains including bioinformatics, social media analysis, and anomaly detection. Graph clustering algorithms can be grouped into two categories: inferential and descriptive. While inferential algorithms deliver high accuracy, they also deliver poor performance and poor scalability, particularly on large graphs. Conversely, descriptive algorithms are fast and scalable but significantly less accurate. We focus on accelerating the performance and improving the scalability of stochastic block partitioning (SBP), an inferential graph-clustering algorithm based on sequential Bayesian inference. Like other inferential algorithms, SBP is highly accurate even on graphs with a complex community structure, but it does not scale well to large real-world graphs that can contain upwards of a million vertices. Our contributions center around developing novel approaches for accelerating SBP, namely data reduction via sampling, shared-memory parallelization, and distributed-memory parallelization. We then integrate these approaches into a unified, accelerated SBP implementation, which exhibits up to 322-fold speedup over sequential SBP on a one-million vertex graph when processed on 64 compute nodes with 128 cores each. Importantly, our approach accelerates SBP without sacrificing the algorithm’s accuracy on both real-world and synthetic graph datasets. ~~ Wu FENG | Synergy Lab | Depts. of CS, ECE, BEAM | NSF SHREC Center & SEEC Center at Virginia Tech | Professor, Turner Faculty Fellow, and Director | 2050 Torgersen Hall | 620 Drillfield Drive | VT | Blacksburg VA 24061 | 540-231-1192 | wfeng(a)vt.edu

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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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