Stan J. Thomas

Computers across campus

the problem or to call for redress. In the early 1980s, plans for campus-wide computer ownership began to appear among small colleges and technical universities. Schools such as Stevens, Drew, Clarkson, Drexel, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Bentley were among the first to adopt a computer requirement. But the early initiatives languished, and some died for lack of enthusiasm [6, 7]. Now in the late 1990s, the movement is gaining ground again, and it is beginning to have an air of inevitability. Admittedly, the number of schools with campus-wide computer initiatives is small, but it is growing and beginning to spread from small private colleges like Dartmouth, Wake Forest, and Hartwick [2] to larger public institutions like Geor-

The impact of campus-wide portable computing on computer science education

At least fifty colleges and universities throughout the world have initiated plans under which all students buy, lease, or provide their own portable/laptop computer. The impact of these initiatives on the general educational environment has been widely discussed; however, the impact on the delivery of computer science education has not been. In this working group report we discuss a number of issues pertaining to computer science education in light of campus-wide computing initiatives. Our report relates experiences of faculty already involved in such endeavors plus ideas regarding the future of portable computers in computer science education. As such, it will be beneficial to computer science programmes currently involved in campus-wide computing initiatives as well as those that may become involved in the near future.

Heuristics for dependency conjectures in proteomic signaling pathways

A key issue in the study of protein signaling networks is understanding the relationships among proteins in the network. Understanding these relationships in the context of a network is one of the major challenges for modern biology [2, 6]. In the laboratory a time series of protein modification measurements is taken in order that relationships among the activations can be conjectured. Laubenbacher and Stigler [5] have developed an algorithm to make conjectures concerning gene expression. Their algorithm analyses the relations as variables in polynomials, using techniques based in computational algebra. This paper focuses on heuristics for applying their method to conjecture dependencies between proteins in signal transduction networks.

In the zone: virtual computing on a budget

In this paper, we report on our efforts, extending over several years, to provide computer science students experience with a variety of operating system and computing environments. We describe our explorations into the use of virtual machine environments for instructional purposes, explorations that have led to the current multifaceted approach to virtualization. We also demonstrate that implementing a diverse, sophisticated virtual computing environment does not require a large investment in computer hardware, in fact it can lead to a cost saving by extending the useful life of systems and reducing the complexity of system administration.

Waveform analysis of laser Doppler signals from normal and diabetic feet

Cutaneous perfusion of the feet of normal volunteers and diabetic patients were measured by laser Doppler fluxmetry. A test paradigm was followed in which the feet were studied at room temperature, during cooling, and during rewarming after cooling. The data files were analyzed using sequential Fourier techniques on serial 20 second segments. Contour plots were generated from the resulting 120 Fourier spectra and compared between the diabetic patients and the normal volunteers. The use of contour plots was found to be helpful in differentiating the diabetic from normal foot plots during this type of stress testing. Significant portions of the power spectra were found in the low frequencies (0.1-0.2 Hz) but there was also a strong component corresponding to the cardiac cycle with at least one harmonic of that cycle observed at two times the heart rate. Diabetic patients exhibited reductions in cutaneous perfusion with cooling in both the low frequency and heart rate frequencies. Sequential spectral analyses arranged in contour plots provide significant information about cutaneous perfusion using laser Doppler fluxmetry and prove useful in evaluating other pathologies characterized by cutaneous perfusion abnormalities.<<ETX>>

Comparison of Co-temporal Modeling Algorithms on Sparse Experimental Time Series Data Sets

Multiple approaches for reverse-engineering bio-logical networks from time-series data have been proposed in the computational biology literature. These approaches can be classified by their underlying mathematical algorithms, such as Bayesian or algebraic techniques, as well as by their time paradigm, which includes next-state and co-temporal modeling. The types of biological relationships, such as parent-child or siblings, discovered by these algorithms are quite varied. It is important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the various algorithms and time paradigms on actual experimental data. We assess how well the co-temporal implementations of three algorithms, continuous Bayesian, discrete Bayesian, and computational algebraic, can 1) identify two types of entity relationships, parent and sibling, between biological entities, 2) deal with experimental sparse time course data, and 3) handle experimental noise seen in replicate data sets. These algorithms are evaluated, using the shuffle index metric, for how well the resulting models match literature models in terms of siblings and parent relationships. Results indicate that all three co-temporal algorithms perform well, at a statistically significant level, at finding sibling relationships, but perform relatively poorly in finding parent relationships.

Understanding the New ABET Computer Science Criteria

The Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits over 300 Computer Science programs worldwide under the Computer Science program criteria. In the past few years, the Commission has engaged the computing community to modify and update these criteria, and has now signed off on an updated set of program criteria that take into account factors such as the CS2013 curricular guidelines, impact on currently accredited programs, structural changes to clarify the criteria, and the reduction of the assessment burden. These recent changes to the Computer Science program criteria primarily impact student outcomes (what program graduates are expected to know and be able to do by graduation) and curriculum. Those changes will impact computer science programs in a variety of ways and degrees---some programs will be impacted significantly while others will be affected in a relatively minor way. This paper examines the changes that will take effect starting in the 2019-20 accreditation cycle, covering the rationale for those changes and exploring the likely impact on computer science programs that are currently accredited or seeking accreditation in the near future.

Updates to the ABET Computing Accreditation Criteria (Abstract Only)

The ABET Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) has been involved in a multi-year process to update the accredAitation criteria to incorporate a new framework for outcomes assessment, as well as to update the specific program criteria in computer science, information systems and information technology. Of the program criteria revisions, the computer science criteria are the most heavily revised, with the goal of achieving some degree of consistence with the CS2013 Report. This Birds of a Feather session is designed to discuss the philosophy behind the criteria changes, and present a draft of the revised criteria for review and comment. The session will promote attendee participation via small group discussions, thereby providing the opportunity for participants to provide input on the revised criteria. The session will also solicit feedback to ABET on computing accreditation in general, and on the overall accreditation process.

Integrating MapReduce concepts into core CS curricula

There is little debate regarding the necessity to include parallel and distributed (PDC) concepts in the undergraduate computer science (CS) curriculum. However there may be debate as to the best way to do so; the extent of coverage necessary; and the best approach to accomplishing ones specific goals. At Wake Forest, our approach has been to develop PDC modules for use in existing courses rather than adding PDC courses to our core requirements. We have previously developed and employed modules built on a message passing paradigm. In the current work we report on efforts to develop MapReduce-based instructional modules for introductory and intermediate level courses. With this module approach we can introduce students to important PDC concepts earlier in their studies. This early introduction to MapReduce can be very beneficial to CS majors but also to students pursuing programs in business, engineering, and the social sciences.

Proposed ABET Computer Science Criteria and the CS2013 Curriculum (Abstract Only)

The ACM/IEEE CS2013 Curriculum provides a somewhat rigid identification of topics to be covered by a model computer science curriculum. It was developed with significant input from industry, educators and other stakeholders and represents best practices in terms of Computer Science education. ABET is the accreditation body accrediting computer science programs in the US, and it also accredits a number of international programs. ABETs goal is to allow programs to identify their own outcomes and measure their success in delivering programs that achieve this, while also ensuring that all students receive a solid core education including key areas of the discipline without being excessively prescriptive. Both documents address excellence in computer science education. Changes to the Computer Science program criteria are being recommended which will more closely align the two documents in terms of identifying key areas to be covered by programs. This session provides participants with the opportunity to hear about the proposed changes and the rationale behind them and to offer feedback and input into the process.