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    • Category: CNSA

    College of Computing Convocation is December 18, 3:30 pm

    Congratulations Class of 2020!

    We are looking forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our graduates at a Class of 2020 virtual Convocation program on Friday, December 18, 2020, at 3:30 p.m. EST.

    Join the virtual event here.

    The celebration will include special well-wishes from CC faculty and staff, and many will be sporting their graduation regalia. It is our privilege to welcome Ms. Dianne Marsh, 86, ’92, as our Convocation speaker. Dianne is Director of Device and Content Security for Netflix, and a member of the new College of Computing External Advisory Board.

    We may be spread across the country and world this December, but we can still celebrate with some style. We look forward to sharing our best wishes with the Class of 2020 and wishing them continued success as they embark on the next phase of their lives!

    This December, 40 students are expected to graduate with College of Computing degrees, joining 92 additional Class of 2020 PhD, MS, and BS alumni.

    Dianne Marsh

    Dianne Marsh ’86, ’92 is Director of Device and Content Security for Netflix. Her team is responsible for securing the Netflix streaming client ecosystem and advancing the platform security of Netflix-enabled devices. Dianne has a BS (’86) and MS (’92) in Computer Science from Michigan Tech.

    Visit the Class of 2020 Webpage

    Congratulations Graduates. We’re proud of you.

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    RedTeam NCL CyberLeague Rankings in Top 2%

    Outstanding RedTeam results in Fall 2020 NCL cyber competition.

    Of the 27 Michigan Tech RedTeam students who successfully completed the individual games in National CyberLeague games this fall, seven students ranked in the top 100, out of 6,011 participants. And in team play, two teams ranked in the top 100, out of 957 teams.

    RedTeam exists to promote a security-driven mindset among the student population, and to provide a community and resource for those wishing to learn more about information security.

    Faculty coaches to the RedTeam student organization are Asst. Prof. Bo Chen, Computer Science, and Prof. Yu Cai, Applied Computing.

    This is the highest achievement MTU students have achieved in NCL individual games since we began participating in fall 2017.

    Assistant Professor Bo Chen, Computer Science

    Individual Rankings (6,011 Competitors)

    • Jacson Ott: Ranked 52
    • Trevor Hornsby: 78
    • Shane Hoppe: 80
    • Dakoda Patterson: 90
    • Matthew Chau: 92
    • Ryan Klemm: 93
    • Stu Kernstock: 98

    Team Rankings (957 Teams)

    • RedTeam@mtu, Team 1: Ranked 22
      Team members: Trevor Hornsby, Stu Kernstock, Jacson Ott, Shane Hoppe, Dakoda Patterson, Matthew Chau, Ryan Klemm
    • MTU Alumni Team, Team 2: Ranked 67
      Team members: Jack Bergman, Jon Preuth, Trevor Taubitz

    The National Cyber League (NCL) is a biannual cybersecurity competition. Open to U.S. high school and college students, the competition consists of a series of challenges that allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, pentest and audit vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more.

    Every year, over 10,000 students from more than 300 colleges and universities across the U.S. participate in the NCL competitions. Student players compete in the NCL to build their skills, leverage the NCL Scouting Reports for career and professional development, and to represent their school in the national Cyber Power Rankings.

    Powered by Cyber Skyline, NCL provides a platform on which students can prepare and test themselves against practical cybersecurity challenges that they will likely face in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pentesting and audit vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks, and more.

    The Cyber Power Rankings were created by Cyber Skyline in partnership with the National Cyber League (NCL). The rankings represent the ability of student competitors to perform real-world cybersecurity tasks on the Cyber Skyline platform.

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    College of Computing Welcomes Six New Faculty Members

    The Michigan Tech College of Computing welcomed six new faculty members this fall to the Departments of Applied Computing and Computer Science.

    College of Computing Dean Adrienne Minerick says the new hires reflect the early growth of the new College, which was launched July 1, 2019.

    “We are thrilled to welcome these six talented new faculty members,” Minerick says. “Even amid the challenges we are all facing, our proactive recruitment and retention activities are making a difference.”

    Assistant Professor Briana Bettin, Computer Science, has a Ph.D. in computer science from Michigan Tech. She is also an affiliated assistant professor for the Cognitive and Learning Sciences department. Bettin’s research interests include user experience; human factors; human-computer interactions; mental models; information representation; rural digital literacy; education, engagement, and retention; and digital anthropology. Bettin is a member of the ICC’s Computing Education Center.

    Assistant Professor Sidike Paheding, Applied Computing, has a Ph.D. in eelectrical engineering from University of Dayton, Ohio. Prior to joining Michigan Tech Paheding was a visiting assistant professor at Purdue University Northwest. His research interests include image/video processing, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and remote sensing. Paheding is a member of the ICC’s Center for Data Sciences.

    Assistant Professor Junqiao Qiu, Computer Science, has a
    Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from University of California Riverside. His research focuses on parallel computing, programming systems, and compiler optimization. Qiu is a member of the ICC’s Center for Scalable Architectures and Systems.

    Assistant Professor Ashraf Saleem, Applied Computing, has a Ph.D. in mechatronics engineering from DeMontfort University, UK. He comes to Michigan Tech from the electrical and computer engineering department at Sultan Qaboos University, where he served the mechatronics engineering program. Ashraf will be on campus starting in the spring 2021 semester.

    Saleem’s research interests are in autonomous systems, vision-based unmanned vehicles, Artificial Intelligence, control of Piezoelectric actuator, and servo-pneumatic systems.

    Assistant Professor Leo Ureel, Computer Science, has a Ph.D. in computer science from Michigan Tech. He has been teaching at the college level for 10 years, and has over 20 years of industry experience. Ureel is also coordinator of the College of Computing Learning Center. Ureel is a member of the ICC’s Computing Education Center.

    Ureel’s research focuses on a constructionist approach to introductory computer science that leverages code critiquers to motivate students to learn computer programming. His
    areas of expertise include software engineering, computer science education, and intelligent tutoring systems.

    Assistant Professor Brian Yuan, Applied Computing and Computer Science, has a Ph.D. in computer science from University of Florida. His areas of expertise include machine learning, security and privacy, and cloud computing. Yuan is a member of the ICC’s Center for Cybersecurity and Center for Data Sciences.

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    College of Computing Focus of HostingAdvice Article

    The College of Computing and the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC) are the subjects of an article published today (Sept. 2, 2020) on HostingAdvice.com, a website and blog that educates visitors to the site about the world of web hosting.

    The article, for which College of Computing Dean Adrienne Minerick was interviewed, provides a close look at the new College, its well-established Computer Science and Software Engineering degree programs (BS, MS, and Ph.D.), new Cybersecurity and Mechatronics undergraduate programs, as well as faculty research and the ICC.

    Special emphasis is placed on the Computer Network and Systems Administration undergraduate degree program, in which students prepare for careers as network and computer systems administrators, commonly referred to as a “sysadmins.”

    Read the full article here.

    “Our readers know that a lot goes into finding the best providers of shared, dedicated, and virtual private servers,” said Sean Garrity, managing editor at HostingAdvice.com. “The article provides information about how to prepare if you want to to break into the industry as a professional, not just a consumer.”

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    New Computing Bits Session is Wednesday, August 5 at 6 pm

    A second College of Computing Computing Bits session will take place Wednesday, August 5, at 6:00 p.m. via online Zoom meeting. A link to the event has been emailed to students.

    This week’s session will include presentations by two student groups: the cybersecurity RedTeam and the Humane Interface Design Enterprise (HIDE). Following, students are invited to join conversational breakout rooms with College of Computing faculty members, and advisors and representatives from College of Computing student groups. Students may move from room to room according to their interests.

    Join the Computing Bits session here.

    We really enjoyed visiting with you at the first Computing Bits sessions, so we calibrated content for this next week to emphasize discussion time with faculty. We will also have returning Computing Huskies join in conversations.

    New students: This is your chance to ask that question you’ve been wanting to ask–about computing, college, degree programs, careers, snow, pasties — anything!

    Dean Adrienne Minerick

    At the first Computing Bits session, July 29, 2020, new Assistant Professor Briana Bettin, Computer Science, and Senior Lecturer Todd Arney, Applied Computing discussed introductory Computing courses. Additional presentations included the Copper Country Coders student outreach group and conversations with department chairs Dan Fuhrmann, Applied Computing, and Linda Ott, Computer Science.

    Additional Computing Bits sessions will be scheduled in the weeks ahead; topics will be announced in advance. Sessions will include breakout rooms in which faculty members will discuss a unifying topic, such as A.I., cybersecurity, health informatics, or even “what do I need to know about computers before I start?”

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    Department of Applied Computing Announced, Fuhrmann Named Interim Chair

    Effective July 1, 2020, the Department of Applied Computing (AC) will open for business as Michigan Tech’s newest academic department, and the second department of the College of Computing. Daniel R. Fuhrmann, Dave House Professor of Computer Engineering, has been named the interim chair of the new department, for a period of one year.

    The Applied Computing department administers undergraduate bachelor of science programs in Computer Network and System Administration (CNSA), Electrical Engineering Technology, and soon a new B.S. in Mechatronics (pending final approval by the Michigan Tech Board of Trustees and the state of Michigan). Applied Computing also shares responsibility, with the Department of Computer Science, for the B.S. in Cybersecurity, which began enrolling students in Fall 2019

    On the graduate side, the Applied Computing Department hosts the Master of Science in Health Informatics and the Master of Science in Mechatronics, which also started in Fall 2019. In addition to teaching AC program courses, faculty in the new department will pursue research in a variety of areas where computers and computing play a major role, including cybersecurity, mechatronics, health informatics, and machine learning.

    Fuhrmann notes, “I am delighted to be a part of the continued growth of the College of Computing, and to do what I can to get our new department up and running. I believe that the Department of Applied Computing makes the CC unique among similar colleges nationwide, and gives Michigan Tech a distinctive edge.”

    Key goals for the interim chair position, identified during the nomination and selection process, include strategically increasing the visibility of and enrollment in in Department of Applied Computing degree and certificate programs, and supporting and strengthening collaborative, interdisciplinary, and interdepartmental relationships in curriculum and research.

    “I think I speak for others when I express how extremely appreciative I am of Dan’s willingness to contribute to the growth and success of the College of Computing over the last year, and his further willingness to agree to serve as department chair during this particularly challenging time,” says Adrienne Minerick, dean of the College of Computing.

    “Dan has repeatedly proven to be an excellent team member who is willing to do the work to support the greater good of our teams in the CC. By stepping forward into unfamiliar tasks as is needed and framing most things as opportunities, he helps bring out the best in our team.”

    Fuhrmann says that the new department will continue to deliver strong programs in the AC department’s areas of primary responsibility, and he hopes to increase synergies among the various groups within the department, for instance, looking at how cybersecurity and mechatronics work together in industrial control systems.

    Growth in the Health Informatics graduate program is also anticipated, and Fuhrmann notes that the need for trained, talented health informatics professionals has never been more apparent than it is right now.

    “In addition to what we will be doing internally, I hope to build a culture of collaboration and cooperation with other Michigan Tech departments that have an interest in computing applications, both inside and outside the College of Computing. We have a lot to offer,” Fuhrmann says.

    For more information about the Department of Applied Computing as it becomes available link here.

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