Computer Science News
2008-07-21 15:23:12
70% of New Jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math will be in Computer Science
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated that 70% of the new jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields will be in computer science. The information, released recently shows that from 2006-16, 70% of newly-created jobs will be in computer science, while 62% of all job openings (new and replacements) will be in the field. This is fantastic news for all those interested in computer science education, because it means that there will be ample opportunities for today and tomorrow's computer science students to find excellent jobs. According to Ed Lazowska, professor of computer science at University of Washington:
- Computer science, increasingly, is great preparatoin for all sorts of careers. That is, lots of people get computer science degrees to go to law school, business school, medical school, biotech labs, etc.
- "Information Technology" is much broader than the software industry. 70% of all IT jobs were with "IT consumers" (companies that use it) rather than "IT producers" (companies that invent it).
- The software industry is really hot right now, and it's also really cool it's creative, interactive, vibrant.
Further, Lazowska says, "There is a huge gap between "people" and "jobs" in computer science -- there is plenty of opportunity!"
This is just one of the reasons we are excited to offer fundamental education in comptuer science. Our Department will prepare you to succeed in a fast-paced job market with foundational skills that will never become obsolete. Our graduates work for top IT companies, including Microsoft, Intel, and many others!
Find the full story on computer science enrollments and job prospects at http://www.cccblog.org/2008/07/11/computer-science-enrollments-the-real-news/.
2008-07-15 16:30:06
Undergraduate Database Course Now Offered Through Distributed Education
There is now a new option for students from Liberal Arts, Informatics, SPEA, and other fields to learn the fundamentals of databases. CSCI-N311, Database Programming, is now offered for Fall 2008 via Distributed Education. Students can complete this course from home using a broadband connection, or view the lectures and complete assignments on campus in any one of the many computer labs on campus, including SL 247 (exclusively for Computer Science students). CSCI-N311 focuses on the concepts and skills required for database programming and client server development. The concepts explored will apply to any modern distributed database system, with an emphasis on developing Oracle SQLPlus scripts, PL/SQL server side programming, and Oracle database architecture. Students with programming experience in ODBC compliant languages will be able to practice connecting such languages to an Oracle database. No formal computing experience is required, though previous computing and database experience is helpful. This course includes lectures via the streaming media server (available at www.cs.iupui.edu/media) and laboratory time on Monday evenings in SL 247. With database skills being in high demand, now is a great time to develop this knowledge to enhance your current employment situation or seek out new opportunities!
2008-07-15 16:26:02
Annual Bitstream Now Available
The Department of Computer & Information Science has just released the annual edition of The Bitstream, a newsletter for alumni and friends of the Department. We invite you to get updated on many of the exciting activities that have happened over the past year. The Bitstream is available at http://bitstream.cs.iupui.edu/.
2008-07-14 16:00:47
Cisco Grant Awarded to Assistant Professor Zou
Assistant Professor of Computer Science Dr. Xukai Zou recently received an $85,000 grant from the Cisco Corporation. The funds are to support a project titled "Building a Secure Video Stream Framework for Dynamic and Anonymous Subscriber Groups," and is to run for one year, from July 2008 to July 2009. The work will culminate in a secure video stream framework using an innovative approach called Access Control Polynomial (ACP). The framework will effectively address the underlying challenges of secure video stream broadcasting and guaranteed access, anonymity, dynamicity, granularity, and scalability. This project supports the deployment of telepresence services and video on demand, which are two critical applications targeted for implementation by Cisco. Dr. Zou expects to not only provide a quality system for Cisco, but also to produce significant high-quality publications, as well as patents from his work.
2008-06-17 08:52:47
CS Faculty to Attend Year-Long Academy for Instructional Excellence
Michele Roberts, a lecturer in the Department, has been asked to represent IUPUI at a year-long series of events focusing on instructional development. The Ivy Tech Academy for Instructional Excellence, which has been held yearly since the 1994-1995 academic year, has been regarded as one of the most positive professional development experiences available for college teachers. Michele will be participating in a five-day opening session in late July, with two follow-up sessions lasting two days each in the 2008-2009 academic year. She said, "This is a wonderful opportunity to share my experiences and learn from other experienced teachers. We'll learn a lot from each other, share some memories, and return for the year energized. I'm really looking forward to it!" The Academy's primary sponsor is Ivy Tech Community College.
2008-06-16 16:52:07
Department Now Awards Teachers Certification Renewal Units
Based on a recent request to the Indiana State Department of Education, the Department is now allowed to offer Certification Renewal Units (CRUs) to Indiana high school teachers of computer science and programming. A certan number of CRUs are required of every high school teacher to remain current with their teaching licenses. This permission will now allow the outreach events and teacher training activities that the Department is involved in to carry CRU credit, thus making the activities even more valuable for local teachers.
2008-05-14 13:59:56
Associate Professor Yao Liang Lectures in Italy
From May 5-13, Dr. Yao Liang visited Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (Sant'Anna School for Advanced Studies), a university in Pisa, Italy, to deliver a series of lectures on advanced communication protocols for wireless sensor networks. These lectures were delivered in conjuction with the Real-Time Systems Laboratory at the university, and were part of a series that occurred this year. Often called the MIT of Italy, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna is a respected research university in Italy, educating approximately 250 undergraduates and 1450 graduate students this year. Dr. Liang's talks were well received, and contact was made with administrators at the institution for possible future research collaborations, as well as graduate student exchange. Please see the attached flyer for more details on Dr. Liang's visit.
2008-04-07 00:00:00
Computer Science Seniors Score Big on Major Field Test
On March 7, eleven seniors completed the Major Field Test in Computer Science as part of CSCI 495, the senior capstone course. The Major Field Test is a standardized exam that covers topics in programming concepts, discrete structures and algorithms, and computer systems, norm-referenced to a large set of college seniors.
These students did very well, scoring an average of 158 on a scale of 120-200. This placed the department's average in the 75th percentile of all institutions. When examining the parts of the exam, our institutional percentiles were:
Programming Concepts: 90th percentile
Data Structures & Algorithms: 70th percentile
Systems: 85th percentile
Dr. Snehasis Mukhopadhyay, chair of the undergraduate committee and instructor for CSCI 495, said, "We are quite proud of the performance of our seniors. The exam was a difficult one, and measures well the kinds of competencies we look for in graduates. As part of our ongoing efforts at program assessment and improvement, these results show that the undergraduate curriculum is strong and prepares students well for both employment and graduate school."
The next step for the department is to conduct a focus group with the CSCI 495 participants, and collect comparative data from other like institutions, to see how our seniors compare. Results of the study should be available in the Fall 2008 semester.
2008-03-27 00:00:00
Computing Research Association Releases Excellent Job News
More good news for computer science students! On March 25, the Computing Research Association released a bulletin citing a recent National Science Foundation InfoBrief that provided a glimpse of computer science salaries as compared to other science, health, and engineering fields.
Overall, computer science graduates are doing quite well, with 82% of bachelor's level graduates employed, and 91% of the bachelor's graduates had full-time jobs. At the master's level, 76% worked in business or industry, and 93% held full-time positions. Graduates of BS and MS programs had high salaries, tying with health majors for the highest median salary at the bachelor's level ($45,000) and tied for first with engineering at the master's level. The full report can be viewed at
2008-03-27 00:00:00
2nd Annual Programming Contest a Great Success!
The 2nd Annual IUPUI High School Programming Contest was held on March 22 at the SL Building on the IUPUI campus. This year, 51 students participated from nine area high schools throughout the Indianapolis area. The contest, sponsored by Microsoft, Google, and Sun Microsystems, included four hours of contest time, where students solved a set of ten problems ranging in difficulty. The problem set included questions normally encountered in the first year of college, as well as more challenging problems from more advanced levels. Door prizes were awarded to many teams, and the winning three teams selected from many prizes donated by our sponsors. The winning team was Sahil Yakhmi and Alex Hearn from Park Tudor Upper School. Second place went to Tyler Zou and John Zhong of Carmel High School. Third place was earned by Sidney Fletcher and Samuel Dittmer of Zionsville Community High School. More information and photos from the event can be viewed at http://contest.cs.iupui.edu.
2008-03-10 00:00:00
Computer Science Students Join Top 100
Several School of Science students, including Computer Science majors William Hartzell-Baird and Karthir Prabhakar, were named as Top 100 students. Sponsored by the IUPUI Alumni Council and the Student Organization for Alumni Relations (SOAR), the 8th annual awards were given on Friday, March 8 at the downtown Westin Hotel. More information on the event can be found at http://www.alumni.iupui.edu/top100.html .
2008-02-12 00:00:00
CS Department Hosts 2nd Annual Programming Contest
Saturday, March 22 is the date for the 2nd Annual High School Programming Contest. Last year, the competition sponsored by Microsoft brought out nearly 40 students from Central Indiana, and was a huge success! This year the contest is sponsored by Google and Microsoft, and promises to be an exciting event. Student teams of two can register at http://contest.cs.iupui.edu. There is only space for 35 teams, so students should register early (deadline March 10th). Join us on campus at IUPUI for a day of fun, competition, free pizza, and prizes from Google and Microsoft!
2008-02-06 00:00:00
CSCI Faculty and Students attend Women in Computing Conference
The IUPUI Computer & Information Science Department was well represented at this year's Indiana Women in Computing (InWiC) Conference held January 25th -26th at McCormick's Creek State Park in Spencer, Indiana. The InWic conference addresses technical and social issues relevant to women in computing. Computer Science faculty member Michele Roberts gave presentations reviewing current department research thrusts, and graduate students presented research and project summaries. InWiC is the premier organization in the state for promoting women in computing. Along with presentations, workshops, and panel discussions, the conference included a career fair with job interviews for local employment. If you are interested in joining the IUPUI chapter of InWiC, please contact Michele Roberts at mroberts@cs.iupui.edu.
2008-01-30 00:00:00
IT/Computer Science Leads as 2008 Hot Job Sector
Yahoo's Hot Jobs section, January 2008:
As Americans set goals for work in 2008, some are gearing up for a job hunt. With many expressing concern over finances, searching for gigs in top-paying industries is a smart move.
According to an analysis of Labor Department figures by Laurence Shatkin, a career information expert, the highest-paying industries are computers/information technology, science, finance, energy, and the federal government.
Specifically, jobs in software publishing (annual median salary: $72,350); computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing (annual median salary: $68,710); and computer systems design and related services (annual median salary: $66,130) top the list. These salaries far outpace the median annual salary for all occupations: about $30,400.
John Estes, vice president of Robert Half Technology, a California-based IT staffing firm, says the high salaries reflect a resurgence in the industry since the dot-com crash. Rapid innovation is helping drive the resurgence, he notes.
"The speed of innovation in products is one thing that keeps IT people in such demand, to the point where it's difficult to keep up with the pace of innovation and technology change," Estes says.
Graduates of the IUPUI Department of Computer & Information Science are well positioned to take advantage of current and future opportunities in our field! With a strong fundamental knowledge and concentration areas in many fast-growing areas (databases & datamining, networking, computer security, software engineering, graphics), our graduates can go anywhere in the US, or stay right here in Indianapolis and find excellent career opportunities.
2008-01-11 00:00:00
2008 IUPUI Intern Connections Fair
Take this opportunity to seek out internship opportunities to advance your skills and build experience. Create future job opportunities and develop a strong professional network through career-enhancing internships.
Students from ALL MAJORS and DEPARTMENTS are invited to seek out Internship Opportunities!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
10am-2pm
IUPUI Campus Center
2007-12-21 00:00:00
Faculty Position Available
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
The Department of Computer and Information Science invites applications for a tenure track position at the Assistant Professor level, beginning August 2008.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science or closely related field at time of appointment, and are expected to develop a high-quality funded research program and be committed to excellence in teaching undergraduates and graduate students. Applications are accepted from candidates in all areas of computer science, though we are especially interested in candidates with expertise in the areas of biocomputing, databases and datamining, and network security.
The application must consist of a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and a statement of research direction and teaching interests. Applicants should also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be mailed directly to the Committee.
The department is committed to achieving excellence through diversity. Applications and nominations of women, persons of color, applicants with disabilities, and members of other under-represented groups are desired.
Send all the materials to: Faculty Search Committee, Department of Computer and Information Science, IUPUI, 723 W. Michigan Street, SL 280, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5132 or via e-mail to Nicole Wittlief at wittlief@cs.iupui.edu. Consideration of applications will begin on February 15, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled. IUPUI is an EEO/AA Employer, M/F/D. For further information about the department, please visit www.cs.iupui.edu.
2007-12-11 00:00:00
IT Jobs Grow Fast
According to a new Bureau of Labor Statistics study, five IT jobs are among the 30 fastest growing occupations in the US. At the top of the list are network systems and data communications analysts. The number of positions in these areas is expected to rise from 262,000 in 2006 to over 400,000 by 2016. Fourth on this list are software application engineers. This job is expected to grow by over 44%, from 507,000 jobs in 2006 to over 730,000 by 2016.
Other IT jobs of note:
Systems analysts expected to grow 29%, from 504,000 to 650,000
Database administrators expected to grow 28% from 119,000 to 154,000
Systems software engineers expected to grow 28% from 350,000 to almost 450,000
According to an article in Computerworld (dated Dec. 10, 2007), employment analysts indicate that the demand will continue to be very strong for technology, IT, and other positions. Also, demand is expected to outstrip supply, meaning competition by employers for college graduates.
2007-12-05 00:00:00
CS Alumnus Eric Tinsley Awarded Hine Medallion
Eric Tinsley has been awarded a 2007 Maynard K. Hine Medallion, in recognition of his contributions to IUPUI. Tinsley is a BS and MS graduate of the department, and currently the Vice President of Technology, Process, and Training at My Health Care Manager, LLC, an Indianapolis firm. There he has responsibility for the development of the technology infrastructure, applications and business systems to deliver health information and integration for seniors across the U.S. Prior to joining My Health Care Manager, he co-founded and successfully served as CEO of Premier Solutions, Inc., for 11 years. Premier Solutions was an Indianapolis-based software integration and development company, which merged with Quest Information Systems in 2004. After the merger, Eric served as Vice President of Client Programs and Chief Quality Officer at Quest.
Tinsley has provided many years of service to the University, and particularly in the School of Science. He is founding president of the IUPUI School of Science Alumni Association Board of Directors. He shaped the mission from which the board worked and provided leadership when the infant group needed direction. During his tenure, he presided over a strong board (in number and expertise) and launched an array of successful alumni programs, including the inaugural "Frontiers in Science" that attracted nearly 100 alumni and friends to the IUPUI campus.
In recognition of Eric's work, he was awarded the Outstanding Science Alumnus Award of 2002, an honor voted on by his alumni peers.
Recently, Eric has served as a member of the school's Dean's Advisory Council (DAC). His vision for the council is very clear-to create partnerships with industry and community leaders that will expand the school's research and enhance experiences of our students. Specifically, he's promoting opportunities for science students, and faculty for that matter, to learn how to be more entrepreneurial, to turn their science training into successful business ventures.
Eric's commitment as a volunteer is an invaluable resource-as is the financial commitment he's made to scholarships for computer science students. Eric was the leader among a group of computer science alumni who created a scholarship in honor of former IUPUI professors John and Judy Gersting. Two Gersting awards are presented each spring to a deserving undergraduate and graduate student. Eric and his wife, Carolyn, have endowed the scholarship, ensuring that it exists in perpetuity.
In 2001, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter honored Premier Solutions as the Small Business Philanthropist of the Year, recognizing the company for its on-going commitment to higher education and the performing arts. In addition to sponsoring the alumni association's "Frontiers in Science" since its inception, Premier Solutions awarded thousands of dollars in web grants to Indianapolis arts organizations.
Not only is Eric involved on campus, he is also intimately involved in the Indianapolis and surrounding community. He is a member of the Techpoint Foundation Board of Directors and Program Committee, the Isprit, LLC Board of Advisors, the Carmel Community Players Board of Directors, the Butler University Software Engineering Advisory Board and the Citizens for Better Neighborhoods.
Former service includes the Indiana BMT Software Committee (as chair), the iMedNetworks, LLC Board of Directors , the Espressa Foods, LLC Board of Advisors, Indiana Information Technology Association (INITA), Indiana Technology Partnership (ITP), Rotary Club of Indianapolis, Columbia Club of Indianapolis and the National Center for Creativity Board of Directors.
In 2002, at the presentation of Eric?s outstanding science alumnus award, he encouraged the alumni and friends in the audience to give back. He spoke of success and significance. He challenged each individual to count his blessings and to consider from where those blessings originated. A handshake and a few words of appreciation are appropriate for most award winners. Not Eric Tinsley. He accepted our appreciation for the work he done on behalf of the school by doing something more. The Hine Medallion is earned in recognition of Eric's continuous commitment to the Indianapolis community and to IUPUI, and the entire Department of Computer & Information Science congratulates him on this honor.
2007-11-14 00:00:00
Faculty Awarded New Research Grants
The Department is pleased to announce recent grants received by our faculty. Dr. Shiaofen Fang is co-Principal Investigator on two National Institutes of Health grants. The grant, "3D Facial Imaging on FASD" was received in collaboration with Dr. Tatiana Foroud from the Indiana University School of Medicine at Indianapolis. The total award is in excess of $1.5 million for five years.
Dr. Fang is also co-PI on a grant entitled "Mouse Model Neuro-Facial Dysmorphology: Translational and Treatment Studies." This grant is awarded for over $1.2 million, and is conducted in collaboration with Drs. Feng Zhou and Yun Liang from the Indiana University School of Medicine, and is funded for five years.
A grant was received in the amount of $270,000 for Drs. Mihran Tuceryan, Jiang yu Zheng, and Shiaofen Fang (co-PIs) from the National Institute of Justice for a project titled, "Advanced In-Car Video System." This project is in collaboration with Herb Blitzer at the Institute for Forensic Imaging - Indianapolis, and is funded for two years.
2007-10-29 00:00:00
CSCI Offers 1-Credit Course in Game Development
This Spring, the Department will offer a 1-credit hour course entitled "Game Development for Everyone." This course has no pre-requisites and meets twice a week (Monday, Wednesday) from 2-2:50 pm in the second 8-week session. The course will introduce students to the video game industry and game development, and will include IUPUI alumni and others as guest speakers. Andy Harris, author of many books on game programming and development will teach the class. "Game Development for Everyone" is listed as CSCI N299 #28578 (Survey of Computing Applications), and is sure to be a hit with students from all majors.
2007-10-29 00:00:00
Center for Bio-Computing Open House a Success!
Over 90 faculty, researchers, and students attended the Center for Bio-Computing Open House at the Health Information and Translational Sciences (HITS) building on Oct. 26, making the event a great success! Hosted in cooperation with the DDepartment of Mathematical Sciences and the Center for Mathematical Biosciences, the Open House attracted attention from all over campus and the Indianapolis area. Represented were faculty and researchers from Eli Lilly & Company, as well as the IU Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Health & Rehabilitation Science, as well as the Purdue Schools of Science and Engineering/Technology. Attendees were treated to a lunch and tour of the facilities, as well as brief research presentations and a panel discussion of experts in the fields of biocomputing and life sciences. Providing the campus welcome was Executive Vice Chancellor Uday Sukhatme. He was followed by the Dean of the IU School of Medicine, Dr. Craig Brater. Both speakers discussed the importance of collaborative research efforts and the promise of the newly-created Centers.
2007-09-21 00:00:00
Associate Professor Yao Liang Receives NSF Grant
Dr. Yao Liang, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (PA), have received over $370,000 from the National Science Foundation in support of their grant, titled "Collaborative Research: Investigating Temporal Correlatoin for Energy Efficient and Lossless Communication in Wireless Sensor Networks." This project is funded for three years. The project abstract follows:
This project is devoted to the fundamental investigation of exploiting temporal correlation in WSNs, for sustaining monitoring in harsh and possibly hostile environments, through an integrated theoretical and empirical approach. From this project, a novel, analytical, adaptive multimodal predictive transmission framework based on predictive coding is developed, for environmental monitoring WSN engineering, to achieve substantial energy savings and, hence, to significantly extend the lifetime of WSNs. Based on the developed framework, a new data gathering protocol suite is designed and implemented. Furthermore, a real-world environmental monitoring WSN testbed in a hilly watershed is deployed for evaluation and validation. Our interdisciplinary education plan uses the built WSN testbed and integrates our research results and new insights into education practice to provide hands-on training and experience for undergraduate and graduate students in both environmental and IT fields.
Our physical world presents an incredibly rich set of observation modalities, such as heat, light, moisture, pressure, motion, etc. Recent advances in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) enable the continuous monitoring of various physical phenomena at unprecedented high spatial densities and long time durations and, hence, open new exciting opportunities for numerous scientific endeavors. Because sensor nodes are battery-powered, the most critical challenge in WSNs is minimizing the use of power, of which the most energy-consuming operation is data transmission. Given the commonly high correlations of sensed data in time and space, an analytical framework for correlation studies and new data gathering protocols is fundamentally important to reduce communication costs through lossless data compression in WSNs.