Bradley Pirtle Receives Astronaut Scholarship Award

NORMAN, OKLA. – Apollo astronaut Charlie Duke will present University of Oklahoma (OU) student Bradley Pirtle with a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) during a public presentation and ceremony, September 28, 2011 at 1 p.m. in room 200 of the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility at OU. More information can be found here.

Dr. Thulasiraman Begins New "NeTS" NSF Project

Dr. Thulasiraman

Award Date:        August 1, 2011 - July 2014 
Award No.           CNS-1115130     
Proposal No.        CNS-1115130    

Title: 
NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Cross Layer Survivability to Cascading Failures in Layered Networks

ABSTRACT:

The objective of this research is to carry out a novel study of network survivability across layers to deal with cascading failures in layered networks. This research will be in the context of IP-over-WDM optical networks, with a focus on multiple failures in the physical (optical) layer and their consequences at the higher layer, namely the IP layer.  Specifically, the broad scope of the project covers i) Survivable logical topology mapping under multiple failures, ii) Logical topology mapping for guaranteed survivability, iii) Logical topology mapping under multiple constraints, and iv) A generalized theory of flows across layers, capacity of survivable logical topologies and related algorithmic challenges.

The intellectual merits of the proposed research lie in developing unifying theories and methodologies that will make significant advances to the understanding of cross-layer survivability issues, and providing the theoretical foundation for future advances in the general area of cross-layer design and optimization.  The research team will build these theories on modern advances in graph theory, mathematical programming and algorithm design. Innovative algorithmic techniques based on advanced data structures and computer algorithms such as approximation techniques will be developed. A generalized theory of cross layer flows that will go well beyond the widely used classical theory of single layer flows will be developed.

Besides the above intellectual merits, the research also has several broader impacts. WDM Optical networks form the critical backbone of all modern communication networks and systems. Modern communication systems consist of multiple physical implementations communicating via layered protocols. As such, a single failure at one layer may lead to cascading failures, i.e., failures at the physical layer lead to failures at the logical layer. Research in this area of cross-layer survivability is still in its infancy. Though IP-Over-WDM networks will provide the context for this research, the theory of cross layer flows and the algorithmic (in particular approximation) techniques that will be developed will have multidisciplinary value spanning several STEM related areas: computer science, electrical engineering, graph theory, mathematical programming, and the emerging area of network science.  Besides extending the frontiers of knowledge in cross layer theory, the research will have significant educational value in training highly skilled researchers for research and development in cutting edge technologies in different areas of information technology. The training program will have a specific focus on training undergraduate students for future leadership in STEM areas.

Dr. Trytten Begins New NSF "SELECT" Project

Dr. Deborah Trytten

Title: The Privilege of Student, Experiential Learning, Engineering Competition Teams (SELECT)
Agency: National Science Foundation
Start Date: Sept 15, 2011
End Date: August 31, 2015

Layman Abstract:
Student, Experiential Learning, Engineering Competition Teams (SELECT) are displayed as the hallmark of engineering programs and are commonly featured in materials shared with prospective students and donors. SELECT provide an opportunity for engineering students to practice engineering technical and professional skills while engaged in competitive, experiential learning, design/build projects. In spite of efforts to increase participation of under-represented populations (URP) in engineering programs, participation rates of URP students in many competition teams are exceptionally low, even when normalized for engineering enrollment. The research literature investigating student competition teams includes only a few papers founded on a research design including a research question, data collection and structured analysis, with only one investigating URP participation from a gender perspective, and none exploring other dimensions of diversity. This paucity is in stark contrast to the wealth of well-structured research examinations of curricular-based team work, although considerations of race/ethnicity and gender are generally absent here as well. The Research Institute for STEM Education will build on a history of qualitative research, supplemented with quantitative data, identifying factors contributing to equity and broadening participation in engineering by addressing the research question: What factors contribute to cultures of inclusion or exclusion within Student, Experiential Learning, Engineering Competition Teams (SELECT)?

Distinguished Lecture Series begins Friday

University of Oklahoma Researchers use NICS to Detail the Inner Workings of Tornadoes

Dr. Amy McGovern

From an article on NICS:

 "Just last month, in a span of 24 hours beginning on April 27th, the southeastern United States saw a rare outbreak of tornadoes which resulted in a combined 344 deaths, according to estimates by the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Not since 1936 have more people been killed in a two-day period due to tornadoes. And that’s not to mention the likely billions of dollars in property damage.
Despite their prevalence in this country, however, and especially in the central United States in an area known as “tornado alley,” there is still much we don’t know about these much-feared funnels from the sky." 


Dr. McGovern and her team of researchers are attempting to unravel some of those inner-workings.  Read the full story here... Recently a new article covering Dr. McGovern's research on using simulations to predict tornadoes was posted here...

Dr. Radhakrishnan Earns "Innovator of the Year" Award

Dr. Sridhar Radhakrishnan was recently awarded with the Innovator of the Year award for his involvement with SoBA.

The Journal Record reported, “Oklahoma is poised to make a big leap forward in the software products industry, thanks to the University of Oklahoma’s Software Business Accelerator. Known as SoBA, the initiative provides a leg up for the university’s graduates, who emerge with real-world entrepreneurial experience that gives them a significant advantage when entering the job market.

Introduced in the fall of 2010, SoBA provides one-of-a-kind opportunities for students to create and design software applications that can be quickly turned into salable products, typically within a semester. Mentors from the university and private sectors work with the students, most of whom are enrolled in computer science degree programs. Others come from a cross-section of university disciplinessuch as business, engineering, graphic design, fine arts, and film and video.”

The SoBA program operates under the umbrella of the OU Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth (CCEW) and constitutes a partnership between CCEW, OU’s School of Computer Science and Information Technology. CCEW’s purpose is to give students the opportunity to take part in real-world entrepreneurial ventures and to accelerate the movement of new technologies into the marketplace, spurring wealth development in Oklahoma in the process, said Jeff Moore, CCEW’s executive director.

“SoBA is OU’s catalyst for the rapid creation and launch of software-based products and businesses in Oklahoma,” Moore said. “In addition, SoBA fulfills an important community outreach function, offering services and resources to existing Oklahoma companies and individuals to help develop their software ideas. This makes it unique in its breadth and level of engagement.”

The first of SoBA’s products is Crowdstory, a mobile social networking application for sharing location-based audio snippets. Crowdstory will launch nationally in March at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas – the premiere event for featuring innovative media applications.

There are a few programs across the country that have a similar concept as SoBA, but none of them leverage community assets as broadly as SoBA does, in that software entrepreneurs are paired with both the seed funding and expertise to propel their products into viable businesses, Moore said.

“The value at stake for Oklahoma’s economy is significant; in addition to the substantial commercial potential for any new software businesses, students receive an unparalleled opportunity to create their own job opportunities through the entrepreneurial process,” he said. “Ultimately, SoBA’s bottom line benefits Oklahoma, where new jobs will be created and the culture of value creation will be strengthened by our young talent. This will give top students compelling reasons to remain in the state, instead of heading to software centers such as Silicon Valley or Austin.”

Dr. Deborah Trytten Earns Regents Award for Superior Teaching for 2011

Dr. Deborah Trytten receiving Superior Teaching Award

The Regents' Award for Superior Teaching was established June 6, 1963 with the first awards presented in the spring of 1964.  Originally, the award was given to three individuals each year.  In 1965, the policy was amended to provide a maximum of five and a minimum of three awards each year.  In 1978, the awards were expanded to include superior accomplishment in any of the following:  Teaching, Research and Creative Activity, Professional and University Service, with a miximum of nine awards in one year and with the understanding the majority of the awards will be given for superior teaching.  In 2010, the awards were limited to one recipient each year for Teaching, Research and Creative Activity and Professional and University Service.

Dr. Trytten received this award in recognition of her many years of excellent service as Undergraduate Liaison for the School of Computer Science, her mentorship of students and new faculty members, and her teaching contributions in lower division courses.

Dr. Rex Page Appointed as Fullbright Specialist

Dr. Rex Page

Prof. Rex Page was appointed as a Fulbright Specialist to collaborate with colleagues at Halmstad University in Sweden this summer. They will adapt curricular materials developed by

Page on the use of mechanized logic in software development for use in the Halmstad Computer Science program and will conduct an international workshop for educators.

CS Poster Presentations at GSA Research Event

Three CS students, Tom Palmer, Shohrab Hossain, and Qing Zhao presented posters at the GSA 2011 Spring Research conference held at the National Weather Center in Norman, OK.

Shohrab Hossain

Abstract of Shohrab Hossain's Poster:

Mobile networks can be formed in bus, train, aircrafts, satellites with a wide variety of on-board IP-enable devices and Network Mobility (NEMO) protocols are required to support uninterrupted services to ongoing sessions. Node mobility has a direct impact on the performance evaluation of various NEMO protocols. However, most of the analysis on mobility protocols used random waypoint mobility model which does not always represent real-world movement patterns in city streets. In this paper, we have developed an analytical model to analyze the stochastic properties of city section mobility model, a realistic street mobility model. We have used the model to analyze the performance of the basic network-mobility protocol. We have used ns-2 simulation to compare the performance of NEMO using city section and random waypoint models. Results have been obtained for average throughput, packet drop probability, end-to-end delay, handoff frequency, and signaling overhead and show significant deviation between the mobility models. Our analysis thus can help in estimating the various performance metrics of mobile network deployed in city streets.

Tom Palmer

Abstract of Tom Palmer's poster:
Many logical planning systems depend on user-provided predicates and functions for representing the environment. In Blocks World tasks, for example, the basic predicate on(X, Y) represents that block X is on block Y. From such a basis, sophisticated algorithms can solve tasks of interesting complexity. However, automatically inventing such predicates is often considered a difficult problem. Our goal here is to work from physical attributes about items and thereby infer logical relations. Currently, we focus on human-labeled examples of world situations with different consequences. To learn relations, we employ the Spatiotemporal Multidimensional Relational Framework of Bodenhamer at al. (2009). Going forward, we seek to discover distinct situations in a more automated fashion as well as to improve the speed and reliability of learning.

Qing Zhao

Abstract of Qing Zhao's poster:

A high efficiency class-E power amplifier (PA) based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is designed and tested. Compact impedance transformation network is implemented using microstrip transmission lines, so that it simultaneously achieves fundamental load transformation and harmonic impedance control. At 2.705GHz, the PA provides 42dBm output power, power added efficiency (PAE) of 58% and gain of 12.5dB.

OU-A Wins South Central Region

Programming team (OU A) finished FIRST in the 2010 ACM South Central USA Regional Programming Contest.   Congratulations to the outstanding winning team members Peter Reid, Caleb Eggensperger, and Allen Smith and their Coach Professor Rex Page.  They were the only team which solved all the 8 problems and we would have still won without the 8th problem as we had the smallest completion time.  Results.  COE article.

2010 Outstanding Senior Awards

Meghan Reike and William Brewer earn the 2010 Outstanding Senior Award.

Dr. Page Receives Three Year Grant

The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year grant totaling $500,000 to support a collaboration between Dr. Rex Page and a Matthias Felleisen of Northeastern University. The project calls for building an interactive development environment and supporting modular software development and validation with the ACL2 mechanized logic and its associated programming langauge, and the development of tested curricular materials to introducing undergraduate students to this technology. Dr Page's portion of the work focuses on curricular materials and outreach. Dr Felleisen and his team at Northeastern will deliver the IDE.

Dr. Andrew Fagg receives NIH Grants

Andrew H. Fagg, collaborating with faculty at OU, OUHSC, Virginia Commonwealth University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and University of Texas Dallas, has recently received three grants from the National Institutes of Health (total for CS and Fagg: $1,015,659). Two projects focus on brain-machine interfaces for the control of prosthetic limbs and for interpreting the neural encoding of sounds and odors.  The third explores control techniques for an assistive robotic crawler for young children who are at risk for developing Cerebral Palsy.