2020-20201

SPRING 2021

W Bothell on outside poll flag with overlay text “Distinguished Teaching Awards for Innovation with Technology”Two CSS Faculty Nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Awards for Innovation with Technology

Congratulations to Morteza Chini, lecturer part time, and Mark Kochanski, associate teaching professor, in CSS who are nominated from UW Bothell for the prestigious Distinguished Teaching Awards for Innovation with Technology! This award recognizes a current faculty member for improving student learning or engagement through an approach that leverages technology. Award recipients will be announced spring 2021 and publicly listed on CTL’s Teaching Award recipients page.

DSL research group from autumn 2020 in a Zoom meeting posing for a group photoDistributed Systems Lab (DSL) research group

 The DSL group is devoted to research, development, and practical use of agent-based modeling (ABM). Professor Munehiro Fukuda and students Justin Gilroy (MSCSSE alumni), Satine Paronyan (MSCSSE student), Jonathan Acoltzi (BSCSSE student) in the DSL group presented at the "Seventh International Workshop on High Performance Big Graph Data Management, Analysis, and Mining" at the end of fall on the topic "Agent-Navigable Dynamic Graph Construction and Visualization over Distributed Memory". Currently they are applying to distributed big-data computing, computational geometry, graph problems, and multidimensional databases. On February 27, DSL also presented the topic "Applying Agent-based Approach to Multi-Dimensional Semantic Space" at the International Symposium on Multi-Dimensional Semantic Computing. Check out current lab activities, master's theses, and white papers for the DSL group on their website.

T4G logo in white block letters and numbers with light purple filling inside of typefaceTech for Good (T4G) research group

Launching in autumn 2019, the T4G group started off with students doing Leetcode problems as independent study and has since evolved in into a group that helps students learn and succeed in computer science. Most recently Computer Science & Software Engineering undergraduate students Victor Suciu, Isabel Giang, Bill Zhao, Jessica Runandy, and Mitchell Dang from the T4G group had their paper “Generating Hints for Programming Problems Without a Solution” accepted to the virtual SIGCSE 2021 ACM Student Research Competition, and it was presented by Suciu on March 15, 2021. Students in T4G will report on their projects at the CSS Colloquium on March 19, 2021. One project is on "Improving Programming Skills through Explanations" where T4G is building an open course with explanations of technical programming questions (Presenter: Samuel Munford), another is on "Unity Mechanics" where they implemented 85 game mechanics with associated demos (Presenter: Jordan Lawson), and finally "Providing Automated Feedback on Programming Assignments" where the team implemented a pipeline to provide automated feedback to CSS 142/143 students (Presenter: Edward Abshire). Check out the T4G group website.

Dr. Dong Sit at computer with mask on during a Zoom call with studentsData Analysis & Intelligent Systems (DAIS) research group

The DAIS group is dedicated to artificial intelligence for smart health and next generation biomedicine, and currently remains steadfast and dedicated to the global fight against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Led by Assistant Professor Dr. Dong Si, the group’s research includes artificial intelligence, geometric deep learning, biomedical informatics, and computational structural biology. Their recent work on DeepTracer has been featured on PNAS research highlights and Nature Computational Science research highlights. The group is interested in promoting early engagement of students at all-levels (especially women and underrepresented students) in machine learning, biomedical informatics, and data science fields by introducing interdisciplinary studies, and inspiring students to pursue advanced STEM education and research careers. Students at DAIS work on world-class projects and practice their problem-solving skills on computational science and software engineering. Check out the incubator of your future data science career – DAIS.

""CSSE major receives Gilman scholarship to study in Japan

Angela Ferro Capera, a senior majoring in Computer Science & Software Engineering, received a $4,500 Gilman scholarship to study in Japan during summer 2021. The federal Gilman scholarship program supports undergraduates who might not otherwise study abroad due to financial constraints.

""Meta-Major Pathways show way to degrees

A new advising tool called “Meta-Major Pathways” helps students find a major that aligns with their interests and connects them to possible careers. Meta-Major Pathways gives students different degree path choices to get where they want to go. Read the UW Bothell Meta-Major story.

Up close image of childs face with them covering one eye with their hand. EYE center for children’s vision, learning and technologyHow to have a healthy new year with a focus on vision

One of the top five health-related trends to keep the family healthy this year is having a focus on vision, according to ParentMap. With the pandemic more children are learning online and have relaxed screen-time rules. Alan P. Pearson, O.D., Ph.D., clinical director of the EYE Center for Children’s Vision, Learning & Technology and William Erdly, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the CSS division at the University of Washington Bothell are cited. Read the story by ParentMap.

Technology Advisory Board UpdateTechnology Advisory Board Update

It has been a busy quarter for the CSS Technical Advisory Board (TAB). A CSSE and IMD student (John Xie and Christine Jahng) are designing and developing a website to integrate with the CSS division site. The website will support TAB, publicizing activities and collaborations with CSS faculty and students. A working team within TAB is updating bylaws to help organize and drive more strategic initiatives and collaborations. These bylaws are expected to be approved at the June meeting, and the first TAB chairperson to be elected at that time. A representative from the UW Bothell chapter of ACM (Ryan Russell) is now part of TAB to bring student voices to the discussion.

The highlight of the quarter was a kind of “speed-dating” research and collaboration open house. Ten faculty and student researchers, an industry representative from the Avanade-STEM strategic partnership, and representatives from career services, capstones, mentoring, and corporate relations came together to pitch their collaboration ideas. After pitches, everyone went into Zoom breakout rooms where representatives from TAB and the STEM Advisory Board were able to circulate from room to room to have one-on-one, in-depth conversations with the presenters. People expressed a lot of enthusiasm for this unique experience, and potential collaborations from the event are being explored!

""Welcome Yasemin Bolstad, STEM Graduate Career Counselor

Yasemin joins the School of STEM Office of Graduate Studies, advising STEM master's and graduate certificate students on career subjects, planning STEM specific career events, and engaging with employers to foster relationships and create opportunities for students. She is experienced in helping students with resume writing, interview techniques, networking best practices, and much more. In April she will be hosting her first events for students (undergrad and grad welcome!), LinkedIn Labs, where they can register for session 1 and 2 to learn how to build a strong profile and network. Check out these events on the @stemgrad Facebook page! Employers or alumni in industry who are interested in creating engagement opportunities can connect with Yasemin directly at ybolstad@uw.edu.

""Welcome Mary Ramirez, CSS undergraduate advisor

Mary joins the School of STEM Undergraduate Academic Services as the third member of the CSS advising team. Mary has nine years prior advising experience with students, all within the Washington State Community College system, four of those years spent working specifically in TRIO, which serves first generation, low income and students with disabilities. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her newest family member, baby Jaxson.

AUTUMN 2020

CSS Technical Advisory Board (TAB)CSS Technical Advisory Board (TAB)

TAB began the 2020-2021 academic year connecting with the new dean, Leslie Cornick, discussing CSS faculty and student remote teaching and learning experiences, as well as the new normal we need to prepare for in industry and academia. During the meeting the TAB voted to incorporate student representatives into future meetings. Everyone agreed that students would be a valuable perspective to the alumni and industry representatives already on the board. Board members and representatives from their companies have been active over the last year working with students on capstone projects, lecturing in classes, teaching and supporting a variety of other activities. The plan for 2020-2021 is to increase our CSS-industry strategic collaborations. Contact Professor of Practice Arnie Lund with inquires at lunda@uw.edu.

Eric BrechnerIdea Competition explores STEM education in 2040 and beyond

Eric Brechner, affiliate professor and principal group engineering manger at Microsoft is one of 25 Idea Competition winners of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine National Symposium on Imagining the Future of Undergraduate STEM Education. The competition explored what undergraduate STEM education should look in in 2040 and beyond to meet the needs of students, science and society and how one might prepare. Ideas from the symposium are published and shared broadly, with the intention of driving change in post-secondary STEM education and influencing NSF funding priorities. View Eric Brechner's submission statement and video under the winners tab.

EyechartsSecond EYE Center research grant in 2020

sociate Professor Bill Erdly has received a $50,000 grant to continue his research in developing new technologies to detect and treat vision problems that inhibit a child’s ability to read and learn. He recently virtually attended the 2020 Global Sight Initiative Conference where this research was one of five world-wide projects featured and granted an additional $50,000. This grant brings this years funding to $175,000 in just the past year from the SEVA Foundation, a global nonprofit eye care organization based in Berkeley, California. Read the UW Bothell story on the first grant aimed at putting vision screening on wheels. Fast forward to today, the 30-foot trailer is on hold given the pandemic, but design specifications are complete and medical equipment is being ordered. Plans to establish an official center and be the first to offer clinical services at UW Bothell are also underway. Stay tuned for an update on their new website launching in February 2021.

Man at computer in a 911 center.Cybersecurity for when 911 is the emergency

Researchers at the University of Washington Bothell have received a $150,000 grant (optional second year for a total of $300,000) from the National Security Agency to model how a next-generation 911 system would operate in an emergency and react to a cybersecurity attack. Professor Mike Stiber is the principal investigator with co-investigator Barbara Endicott-Popovsky, executive director of the Center for Information Assurance & Cybersecurity at UW Bothell. Read the UW Bothell story on the next-generation 911 system.

Fire engineFirefighters can train in VR, save water

A virtual reality program developed by two Computer Science & Software Engineering majors might be used to train firefighters to run the water pump control panel on a fire engine, saving time, expense and water. Professor Kelvin Sung supervised the project, and also taught the 3D computer graphic and computer game design courses where the students learned the concepts. Read the UW Bothell story on firefighters training in VR.

Line drawing of different facesInteractive Media Design students present works

Perhaps more than other students, Interactive Media Design majors, who are skilled in using technology to create digital forms, were prepared to present their “All Possible Futures” capstone projects via teleconference. IMD Faculty Coordinator and Associate Professor David Socha applauded students for the extra effort it took to finish their projects in this time of both pandemic and political demonstrations. Read the UW Bothell article on IMD presentations during the pandemic.