Joel K. Hollingsworth

Teaching web programming using the Google Cloud

This paper describes a novel approach to incorporate web-based programming techniques in the undergraduate computer science curriculum using Google App Engine as the target platform. This approach provides students with a production-level understanding of current web-based programming. A description of the course materials along with the advantages of the approach are given.

A NSGA-II, web-enabled, parallel optimization framework for NLP and MINLP

Engineering design increasingly uses computer simulation models coupled with optimization algorithms to find the best design that meets the customer constraints within a time constrained deadline. The continued application of Moores law combined with linear speedups of coarse grained parallelization will allow more designs to be evaluated in shorter periods of time. This paper presents a scalable, standards based framework that uses web services and grid services with a multiple objective genetic algorithm to solve continuous, mixed integer, single objective or multiple objective nonlinear, constrained design problems. Test data is provided to validate a linear speedup based on the number of processors and to show the robustness of the genetic algorithm on a set of 10 design problems.

Engaging the community with mobile app projects (abstract only)

As the popularity of mobile devices surges, more and more organizations are looking to exploit the novel interaction methods of mobile devices to re-deploy legacy software or to develop innovative new applications. Many organizations are looking to nearby universities for expertise in this area. At the same time, mobile computing has become increasingly integrated within courses in CS departments. Historically, capstone courses and other advanced electives have resulted in the production of non-trivial software artifacts. This BOF will provide a platform for discussion of how the use of mobile app platforms in such courses can allow for the development of meaningful software projects that engage with and give back to the community and provide rich opportunities for service learning.