CSEE Colloquium

Active PURLs: An architecture for enterprise information interoperability

Dr. David Wood
Three Round Stones

11:00am Friday, 9 November 2012, ITE 325b, UMBC

The World Wide Web differed from other early hypertext systems in the removal of "back links" (the ability of a hyperlinked object to link back to a referring resource). The removal of back links allowed the scalability inherent in the Web's design, but sacrificed the knowledge necessary to update links when content moved. Persistent URLs (PURLs) have been used on the Web since 1995 to provide an inexpensive and partial solution to link updates via HTTP redirection: PURLs do not change their URL, but they may change the target they redirect to. Various iterations of the PURL concept have allowed Web addresses to be updated, clients notified of permanent changes of address and the provision of directions to metadata about a requested resource.

"Active" PURLs are a relatively new (2007) iteration of the PURL concept that allow PURLs to actively participate in the creation of data returned. The Callimachus Project, an Open Source Linked Data management system, now implements Active PURLs as a means to automate the collection, transformation and provision of information from distributed sources. Active PURLs are implemented in Callimachus by means of a PURL service, a new PURL type and an XML pipeline (XProc) implementation.

This talk will introduce Active PURLs and describe how they may be used to address long standing problems in enterprise architecture, especially those of distributed information interoperability, by facilitating a strong separation of concerns between data producers, publishers, administrators, librarians and consumers.

Dr. David Wood has contributed to the evolution of the World Wide Web since 1999, especially in the formation of standards and technologies for the Semantic Web. He has architected key aspects of the Web to include the Persistent Uniform Resource Locator (PURL) service and several Semantic Web databases and frameworks. David is co-chair of the W3C RDF Working Group, co-chaired the Semantic Web Best Practices and Deployment Working Group and is a member of the Semantic Web Coordination Group. David has represented international organizations in the evolution of Internet standards at the International Standards Organization (ISO), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the World Wide Web Consortium. David is a founding and contributing member of many Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) projects, including the Mulgara Semantic Store, Persistent URL (PURLs), Freemix and the Callimachus Project. He is the author of Programming Internet Email (O'Reilly, 1999), editor of Linking Enterprise Data (Springer, 2010) and Linking Government Data (Springer, 2011) and lead author of Linked Data (Manning, anticipated 2013).

Host: Tim FInin, Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

— more information and directions: http://bit.ly/UMBCtalks —

Tomorrow, Dr. Rick Forno will be hosting a drop-in session to discuss UMBC's Graduate Cybersecurity Program. It will be held Wednesday, November 7 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm in ACIV-B WING Room 464. UMBC's Drop In sessions are a great way to meet Graduate Program Directors and chat about their programs, educational opportunities, and your interests in a given field.

RSVP for the Cybersecurity session at www.umbc.edu/rsvp/dropin

Originally from Cyprus, Sarah Khalife is a Computer Engineering major and a CWIT Affiliate.  

About Sarah

When did you become interested in Computer Engineering? I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to be. At first, Computer Engineering sounded interesting– I like computers and I like math, why not Computer Engineering? Since then, I've taken Computer Science and Computer Engineering classes and came to realize that it challenges me not only academically, but to think analytically, to be innovative, as well as to have the ability to discuss and describe my work for another person to understand. I knew I finally wanted to be a Computer Engineering major by the end of my Sophomore year.

What area of Computer Science interests you the most? Logic design seems very interesting so far. I enjoyed my CMSC 203 and COMP 212 class, and I am looking forward to taking some VLSI classes!

What are your plans after graduation?After graduation, I would like to gain some experience working, and then maybe continue on to a Master's.

What is your dream job? Dream job…I am still trying to find it! I am thinking that I will enjoy a position in engineering management, but I haven't fully experienced working within my field to have a dream job.

About being a CS major

What is the best part about being a CWIT affiliate? Networking. Networking with other students in your field or similar ones. Networking with professors and important people at UMBC. Networking with recruiters and companies that will be helpful in getting internships and jobs. Also, being a CWIT, you are a part of a community where you are in similar majors, have similar interests, and always have the opportunities to excel. 

What is your favorite course/professor and why? My favorite professor is Dawn Block! I took CMSC 104 and CMSC 201 with her and I loved those classes. She always understood what I asked her and did her best for me to understand as well! Plus, she would give out candy! She made my first computer science classes fun and very informational. I enjoyed learning Computer Science concepts and languages with Professor Block.

Are you part of any on-campus clubs, organizations, teams, or labs? I work as a Commuter Assistant for Off-Campus Student Services, where I help commuters, plan events, play games, and have/eat free food. It feels more like a club rather than work! I'm also part of Student Government Association (SGA) in the Office of Academic Affairs where I find academic related issues and try to solve, come up with, and implement initiatives that will better UMBC and the students, and in general, support students and their academic needs. I'm a Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Affiliate, where I help to plan more events and activities, network with a variety of people, and have the opportunity to open my eyes and to see what's out there regarding my major.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

1. Talk to your professors: they are very interesting and helpful people!
2. Get a well-rounded experience at UMBC: get involved in clubs/organizations/something you care about.
3. Learn how to time-manage ASAP! Schools gets very hard when you're overwhelmed, but if you manage to create a schedule that you will follow, keeping up with homework and extra-curricular activities shouldn't be too hard!

What advice would you give to other females entering the field?

1. At UMBC, I haven't felt discriminated against because I'm female. So, don't be worried about that as a female you will be treated differently.
2. Depending on your major and classes you take, you might be one of the few females in the class. Don't be afraid/shy to step up and ask questions.

About life at UMBC

What is the best part about campus life at UMBC? UMBC has a diverse group of people, clubs/orgs, and activities. I love that you can get a snippet of different cultures at UMBC without having to travel anywhere! I love attending all the multicultural events and experiencing the traditions, dancing, food, and so on, all within UMBC.

What is your favorite spot on campus?  The Commons. There's always an event happening there!

Where can you get the best coffee/lunch/ food or beverage of choice? Administration Building Deli–best place to get breakfast and lunch, and your money's worth if you don't have a meal plan.
 

Research Proactive

A Computational Biologist and Dartmouth professor, Alumnus Gevorg Grigoryan says his undergraduate research at UMBC was crucial to his success.

Kids typically see college as a chance to get away from their parents. That wasn’t the case with alumnus Gevorg Grigoryan (B.S. CS, BioChem ’02), who did research with his dad in UMBC’s Computational Photonics Lab as an undergraduate. In 2000, the pair co-authored a paper proposing a new visualization technique for wave transmissions that uses color to represent amplitude and phase information.

Now an assistant professor of Computer Science and an adjunct assistant professor of Biology at Dartmouth College, Grigoryan stresses the importance of doing research early on. As an undergraduate, he worked in not one, but three, different research labs at UMBC: the Computational Photonics Lab, the VANGOGH Lab, and Dr. Daniel Fabris’ Mass Spectrometry lab.  

“It was very easy for an undergrad to get involved in research [at UMBC],” says Grigoryan. “It’s not like that everywhere.”

Working in labs gave Grigoryan essential experience that shaped his career path. When it was time to pick a major, he knew that he wanted to do research like his dad, Vladimir Grigoryan, a Physicist who was working as a Research Scientist at UMBC at the time.

Grigoryan switched from Physics to an ambitious double major in Computer Science and Biochemistry when a professor told him about the emerging, interdisciplinary field of Computational Biology. Combining the principles of biology with computing techniques, the new field dealt with simulating and studying biological systems on the computer.

After graduating from UMBC in 2002, Grigoryan went to MIT for his Ph.D. in Computational Biology under Dr. Amy E. Keating. Later he completed his Post Doc at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School under William DeGrado. His research has focused on examining proteins in order to 1) understand their structure, and to 2) use that understanding to design new proteins that can do things like cure disease.

The analysis and design of proteins is what’s being done in Grigoryan’s research lab at Dartmouth. Specifically, Grigoryan and his students are looking at how protein structure dictates protein-protein recognition and the structural mechanisms of information transformation by allostery. In an interesting twist, Grigoryan now has undergraduate research assistants of his own.

As for collaborations with his dad, Grigoryan says that these days, formal collaborations are hard because of distance; Grigoryan works on molding minds in New Hampshire while his dad works at Ciena Corporation in Maryland. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop them from having heated scientific discussions over the phone, he says.    

Originally from Silver Spring, MD, Rebecca is a Computer Science major and an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the UMBC MAPLE (Multi-Agent Planning and Learning) Lab.

About Rebecca

When did you become interested in Computer Science? High School.

What area of Computer Science interests you the most? (Truth be told) Job Security; Feeling like a strong independent woman "fighting" for her right to be a Computer Scientist.

What is your dream job? My dream job is being a dancer or a chorus teacher (my retirement plan). My CS dream job is one where I'd be able to write programs that will make a difference in the world (either in health, education, etc.) and be able to interact with people all over the world.

Hobbies? I like to sing when no one's around to hear, dance like no one's watching, and draw.

About being a CS major

What is your favorite professor/course and why? Professor Brian Dunnigan – English 100. Off-beat class, profound wisdom. He's a cool cat. Pro Tip: You get to read graphic novels in his class (my class read V for Vendetta, which is my favorite).

What is the best part about being a CWIT Affiliate? Being exposed to all the opportunities around me. I've had a narrow path set by my family upon graduating. Thanks to CWIT, GraceHopper, and my bosses, I've learned I can do anything with my Computer Science major. Not just sitting in a cubicle, but having jobs that will allow me to travel and interact with other passionate, fun-loving people.

Are you part of any on-campus clubs, organizations, teams, or labs? I'm affiliated with UMBC's Ultimate Frisbee club, Rock Climbing club, Swing Dance club, and UMBC's CWIT (Center for Women in Technology).

Have you done any undergraduate research? I'm an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the UMBC MAPLE (Multi-Agent Planning and Learning) Lab under CE21 (Computing Education for the 21st Century) and CS4HS (Computer Science for High School) projects. We are a planning project with the goal of increasing high school computer science expertise and statewide support in Maryland for computing education. I'm responsible for all aspects of event management, including site selection, contract negotiation, proposal planning, transportation arrangements, housing, and production of meeting materials for professional CS workshops, meetings, and industry dinners.

What advice would you give to incoming students? Procrastination is death. Everyone will tell you this so take the advice: "Start your projects early." Leave the last minute panic to us oldies. Think about it: Finish a project early, eliminate stress, and go out and enjoy your life. You'll definitely be a happier person.

What advice would you give to other females entering the field? You are not alone. Really. Being an affiliate for CWIT and an undergraduate research assistant, I've been able to network with many students and professors. There are professors that truly want to push you on the path of greatness. There are students that share the same mindset and know your pain (or at least understand them). Befriend them. If you see me, say "Hi." I'll be your friend.

About life at UMBC

What is the best part about campus life at UMBC? The quaint serenity of living on a moderately small community campus. UMBC is my home, my work place, and my school. My friends are my neighbors (mainly within walking distance), my coworkers are my colleagues, classmates, and friends, and my professors are my mentors, advisers, and bosses. I have the freedom to do what I want when I want all in one little loop. Props to Campus Police and UMBC's general vicinity for making campus feel safe and cozy.

What is your favorite spot on campus? I would tell you but that would spoil its serenity.

Where can you get the best coffee/lunch/ food or beverage of choice? I'm a big fan of Fresh Fusions, Wild Greens, and Admin for healthy choices. Au Bon Pain and the Library Cafe have some pretty good smoothies. (Order a Strawberry Smoothie with whipped cream. Do it. I dare you.)

CSEE Colloquium

Modeling the dynamics of pulsed optical fiber lasers that rely on nonlinear polarization rotation

Brian Marks
Research Scientist
UMBC Computational Photonics Laboratory

1 pm Friday, 2 November 2012, ITE 227, UMBC

Ultrashort pulse lasers are important tools in time and frequency metrology, atomic spectroscopy, and medical applications. Passively modelocked fiber lasers are short pulse lasers that have many advantages over non-fiber alternatives — particularly size, weight, and cost. However, fiber lasers can drift due to environmental changes and changes in fiber properties, making robustness a problem. Although fiber modelocked lasers have been studied for decades, until recently modeling these devices has primarily been phenomenological. In this talk, I will discuss how passively modelocked fiber lasers work, improvements in the modeling effort in recent years, challenges for their robustness, and possible improvements for robustness based on our modeling work.

Brian Marks is a research scientist in the computational photonics laboratory at UMBC. He received his Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics at Northwestern University, and B.S.'s in Math and Physics from N. C. State University. He was at UMBC from 2000–2005 in the computational photonics lab, then taught math and statistics at Indiana University in Bloomington for several years, and is now back at UMBC. His research interests include modeling and simulation of photonics and communications systems.

CSEE Colloquium

Emerging Challenges in High Performance Computing: Resilience and the Science of Embracing Failure

John. T. Daly
Advanced Computing Systems Program at the Department of Defense / Center for Exceptional Computing

1:00 p.m. Friday, 9 November 2012, ITE 227, UMBC

Resilience is about keeping the application workload running to a correct solution in a timely and efficient manner in spite of system failures. Future extreme scale supercomputers are likely to suffer more frequent failures than current systems: As devices scale, they are more susceptible to upsets due to radiation and to errors due to manufacturing variances. The probability of multiple bit upsets is growing, since an event is increasingly likely to impact multiple nearby cells. The use of near-threshold voltage in order to reduce power consumption also increases error rates. Thus, we can expect more frequent hardware failures, and a significant rate of undetected soft errors. While it is desirable to have failure-free system hardware and software, this goal may not be achievable at reasonable cost as both hardened components and methodologies to design and test critical software tend to be extremely expensive. The challenge is to construct a system out of less than perfectly reliable hardware and software that nevertheless behaves as a reliable system from the perspective of the user.

John T. Daly is a computer systems researcher for the Advanced Computing Systems (ACS) Program at the Department of Defense / Center for Exceptional Computing (CEC). He is focused on the problem of keeping supercomputer applications running toward a correct solution in a timely and efficient manner in the presence of system degradations and failures. His research interests include mathematical modeling and analysis of failure, reliability, fault tolerance, calculational correctness, and throughput for applications at extreme scale. Before coming to the CEC, John was a researcher and resilience technical leader in the High Performance Computing (HPC) division at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a software engineer and application analyst for Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems. He is a nationally recognized expert in resilience with 25 years of experience developing, porting, and running applications as an early adopter of many of the world's fastest supercomputers. He holds degrees in engineering and applied science and aerospace engineering from Caltech and Princeton University.

    — more information and directions: http://bit.ly/UMBCtalks –

Cyber Security Mergers & Acquisitions – Striving for a
Successful Exit: Trends, Preparation, and Lessons Learned

9:00-10:30am, Friday 9 November 2012

RWD Building, UMBC Research Park
5521 Research Park Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21228

The Cyber Incubator at bwtech@UMBC will host a third CYBERInnovation Briefing on Friday 9 November 2012 in the RWD Building of UMBC's Research Park. Registration begins at 8:30am.

Cyber security acquisitions continue to heat up. Join the CyberHive community as we host a distinguished panel of cyber security executives and capital markets experts who will share their recent merger and acquisition experiences in the cyber security industry. Learn from buyers, sellers, and deal flow managers – how to drive a successful deal and be best prepared. Our panel will explore recent trends in activity, acquisition characteristics, attributes that enhance company valuation, lessons learned, process and financial preparation, retention of key employees, and offer words of wisdom.

Acquisition activity involving cyber security companies will continue to influence the economic growth of our region, as innovators from the National Security Agency, US Cyber Command, and the Defense Industrial Base launch creative business opportunities. These sessions are very interactive and we look forward to and welcome your participation.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Alexandra Gold, Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

Originally from Frederick, MD, Beatrice Garcia is a Freshman Computer Science major and a Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) Scholar.

About Beatrice

When did you become interested in Computer Science? I've always liked computers and technology in general. I was always tinkering with the next new gadget. So, I decided to take a computer science class in high school, Introduction to Programming Concepts. We programmed in Java and I loved it. Sounds dorky, I know.

What area of Computer Science interests you the most? I love cyber security and I would love to explore bioinformatics. I have not taken any Biology classes yet, but I'm really interested in building software for the biology/medical field. As for cyber security, I think it's an integral part of our society nowadays because everything is being digitized and we need that security.

What Computer Science courses did you take in high school. How did those influence your choice of major? In high school, I took Introduction to Programming Concepts and AP Computer Science. No one really influenced me in taking those classes but my high school teacher was a huge influence in me majoring in Computer Science. She was a great teacher and really made the class a lot of fun.

What is your dream job? I would love to work for Google because they come up with the most innovative products. For example, the Chromebook. I've also heard about the amazing way Google treats their employees. They even have a program in Women in Leadership.

About being a CS major

What is the best part about being a CWIT Scholar? The absolute best thing about being a CWIT is the sense of community. Prior to entering freshman year, we went through a retreat. The retreat was really helpful because by the time classes started,  we already knew each other. So, college wasn't as intimidating as it could've been. In addition to already having friends as soon as you stepped onto campus, you already have an academic community supporting you. We instantly took advantage of study groups and helping each other with homework.

What classes are you taking? Right now, I'm taking Calculus I, Computer Science I for Computer Science Majors, Introduction to Gender/Women Studies, First-Year Experience, and English: Composition. I'm excited about taking CMSC 345: Software Design and CMSC 421: Operating Systems.

Are you part of any on-campus clubs, organizations, teams, or labs? Since this is my first semester as a college student, I actually did not sign up with as many clubs as I wanted because I wanted to test out the water first. Right now, I am a member of the Oxfam Club, which is an organization that helps build a future without poverty. I am a CWIT Scholar (Center of Women in Technology) and we try to promote gender diversity and equality in male-dominated technology fields. I'm also part of the Society of Women Engineers and for fun, I like to do yoga!

About life at UMBC

What is your favorite part about college so far? My favorite part of college is having more responsibility for myself. I know that I'm responsible for myself, so as long as I keep being level-headed and try my best, I will be fine. I've been constantly told that college is what you make of it and I will take advantage of that.

What is the best part about campus life at UMBC? I love that everyone on UMBC is mature and has an intention to succeed. But, we know how to have fun, too! The Students Events Board comes up with greatest events and they make sure you always have something fun to do!

What is your favorite spot on campus? I love walking by the pond or sitting at the ledges by the library because it's so peaceful and the landscape is beautiful.

Where can you get the best coffee/lunch/ food or beverage of choice? For the best coffee, I always go to Starbucks. But for breakfast, I always go to the Coffee Shop in the Administration Building. The ladies who work there are so nice and they have great food!