Computer science and engineering students gain valuable networking experience

Students from the Departments of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) gained valuable networking and presentation experience by representing the University of Delaware at two national conferences.

Students attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing and the Supercomputing Conference 2011.

Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing

Seven CIS students joined more than 2,000 participants at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Nov. 9-12, in Portland, Ore.

The event is a series of conferences that include leading researchers presenting their current work and special sessions that focus on the role of women in today’s computer science, information technology, research and engineering fields.

It is the largest technical conference for women in computing and results in collaborative proposals, networking and mentoring for junior women and increased visibility for the contributions of women in computing. Conference presenters are leaders in their respective fields, representing industry, academia and government.

Students in attendance included first-year undergraduates Marwa Al-Mumin, Marshilla Brahma, Alice Guerrieri, Sabrina Hammons and Kristen Quade, and graduate students Xia (Katie) Bi and Aishwarya Gurazada.

“Though I am only a freshman and not yet in the computing industry,” said Guerrieri, “the conference helped me learn about different aspects of the field and to create a foundation for future connections with various companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft.”

The College of Engineering dean’s office and the CIS department sponsored the group as a part of an effort to retain women in computer science. Lori Pollock, CIS professor and general chair of the conference, served as the group’s adviser.

Pollock has been an advocate for women in computing for over 20 years, serving on the executive board of the Computing Research Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing (CRA-W) since 2004.

At UD, Pollock is a recipient of the E. A. Trabant Award for Women’s Equity and the Excellence in Teaching Award.

Supercomputing Conference 2011

For the fifth year in a row, graduate students from the departments of CIS and ECE also participated in Supercomputing Conference 2011 in Seattle, Nov. 13-18. The conference draws more than 12,000 attendees annually and is considered the leading international conference on high-performance computing, networking, storage and analysis.

UD students showcased their research during the conference’s exhibition. The exhibit designated UD as a leading research university in the Philadelphia region and highlighted computing research conducted within the College of Engineering.

“At the exhibit floors, we were able to present our latest research projects and learn all about the latest and greatest in high performance computing,” said Omar Padron, a doctoral student in computer and information sciences and volunteer mentor at the conference.

Graduate student representatives included Elkin Garcia, William Killian, Kelly Livingston, Aaron Landwehr, Daniel Orozco, Robert Pavel, Tom St. John and Boyu Zhang.

“I have been to the Supercomputing Conference before, and I was excited to see familiar faces with whom I was able to discuss my research,” said Zhang, a doctoral candidate in computer and information sciences. “It’s a great place to network and a valuable resource for students in the computing industry.”

Faculty representing ECE included Guang R. Gao, ECE Distinguished Professor, and Xiaoming Li and Chengmo Yang, assistant professors. Faculty from CIS included assistant professors John Cavazos and Michela Taufer, who is also affiliated with the Center for Biomedical Engineering Research.

Article by Gabriella Chiera