CS 195/295: Computing Seminar 2024/25

Fall Talks| Spring Talks

Seminars are 3:05 to 3:55 in SB 010, unless otherwise specified. This schedule is subject to change.

Date Speaker Description
September 3 Keith VanderLinden
Chair, Calvin CS
Introduction to the Computing Seminar

This event is tailored for first-year CS 195 students.

September 10 Student Interns &
Research Assistants
"What I Did This Summer"

Lightning talks by interns and researchers

  • Steven McKelvey, Parallel and distributed computing assignment repository
  • Aryan Jha, Internship at NBCUniversal
  • Blessing Amoah, Internship at Meta
  • Joshua Park, Cloud Operations internship
  • Ponjul Shedul, Python for Beginners: From Zero to First Project
  • Maham Abrar, Performance Analysis of Tesla's Advanced Safety Features
  • Anwesha Pradhananga, Infrastructure research intern at CAIDA

September 17 Eric Araujo Behavioral Informatics: an Introduction

In this talk, I will provide an introductory explanation of behavioral informatics and emphasize its significance in today's world. Behavioral informatics is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on collecting, analyzing, and interpreting heterogeneous data to model and shape human behavior. Its goal is to identify techniques and technologies that can sense both implicit and explicit behaviors, as well as discover novel interventions to influence complex human behavior. Here are key points to cover: (1) What is Behavioral Informatics? Behavioral informatics integrates insights from psychology, sociology, and computer science. It aims to collect and analyze diverse data sources to model human behavior. (2) Relevance in Our Current Times: (a) Healthcare: Behavioral informatics plays a crucial role in addressing mental health challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. (b) Technology: Advances in health information technology (HIT) enable better behavioral healthcare. (3) Opportunities: Despite challenges, behavioral informatics offers opportunities to improve well-being through data-driven interventions. (3) Connections to Data Science and Computer Science: Behavioral informatics intersects with data science and computational social science. It leverages big data analytics, multimedia information systems, and computational methods.

September 24 Jeff Streelman Reflections and stories from 32-year career on Wall Street

In this engaging talk, Jeff, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience at a Wall Street bank, will share captivating stories and invaluable lessons from his extensive career. Having worked in diverse areas such as applications development, cybersecurity, and risk management, Jeff's insights are highly relevant for those about to embark on their professional journeys. Whether you’re joining a large corporation or a small business, Jeff's experiences and advice will provide you with practical guidance and inspiration as you transition from university to the workforce.

Wednesday, October 2, 2-5 pm, PCC
Note non-standard date, time, and place
  Engineering and Computer Science Career Fair
October 8 Ryan Lipsker Finding internship and job opportunities

Inside Higher Ed recently reported on a significant gap between the demand for internships and the available opportunities in the US. In 2023, 8.2 million college students sought internships, but 4.6 million students did not secure one.

Given this challenging environment, how can you make sure you are setting yourself apart from other candidates? What are the most effective strategies for searching for jobs and internships? In this talk, Ryan Lipsker of Calvin's Career Center will share some advice on how to approach your search for an internship or job.

October 15, 3:05-4:30
Note later end time
  The Thinking Game

Screening of a new film on Deep Mind and Google AI initiatives. Note the later end time.

October 22 [Advising break] No seminar
October 29 Doug Higby, SIL Technology for Language and Human Flourishing in the Digital Age

Learn how SIL International is leveraging technology to revolutionize Bible translation, empower communities, and promote human flourishing in the digital age. Discover how innovative tools and digital platforms are being used to enhance translation efforts, support language documentation, and foster cultural resilience, ensuring that every language community can access the Scriptures and thrive in our increasingly connected world.

November 5 Michel Momeyer Simulating a Dungeon Master

Our approach to making a video game world feel alive without simulating 1000+ NPCS all at once.

November 5, 1-4 pm   Mock Interviews

Some executives from local companies have agreed to offer mock interviews. These are a great opportunity to get some additional interview practice -- with feedback! Real interviews don't offer feedback.

CS 295 students can also make up for missing the job fair--submit details about your mock inteview through the Moodle job fair assignment.

Details on who will be offering mock interviews are still forthcoming. Sign up here.

November 12    
November 19 Ruth Ferguson, Amway Information Security: View from the Security Operations Center

Interactive discussion about Information Security. What it is, what a Security Analyst sees on a daily basis, and some current trends.

November 26   Thanksgiving week -- no seminar
December 3
Time: 3-4pm
Senior Project Teams CS 396 Mid-Project Reports
Projects:
  • Computational Modeling I--J. Brookens, D. Kwon--E. Araújo
  • AI for Writers I--J. Chew, D. Kim--K. Arnold
  • AI for Writers II--J. Kim--K. Arnold
  • EEG-Based Drone Control--S. McKelvey--K. Arnold, P. Moes
  • Geofeed: A New Dawn on IP Geolocation--H.C. Lee, D. Park--R. Chang
  • Dolphin Data Analysis--C.X. Ju, L. McAboy, L. Monsma--S. DeRuiter, A. Fahlman
  • Ecosystem Preserve--D. Addink, S. Bendeck, F. Susanto--S. DeRuiter, M. Dykstra, R. VanDragt
  • Re-Design KnightCite--C. Amoh, B. Husted, H.D. Park--B. Holda, K. VanderLinden
  • Moodle Grading upgrade--H. Cha, P. Padi--V. Norman
  • MS Word POGIL Tool--E. Lewis, Y. Turan--V. Norman
December 10
Time: 3-4pm
Senior Project Teams Senior Project reports
CS 396 mid-term reports:
  • Explainable Reinforcement Learning for Board Games--B. Hlathein, S. Melesse, A. Prasser--Santos
  • Reader's tools--C. Campbell, S. Sonday, S. Yakubu--Plantinga, Crayton
  • Schedulizer--N. Haviland, E. Maru, Y. Li--Pruim, VanderLinden
  • Calvin Electronic Medical Record--T. Arista--VanderWal, Wieringa
  • Braille Printer--E. Aluko, K. Howes, E. Wang--Sorenson, Schuurman
CS 398 final reports:
  • Internet Performance Monitoring Platform--A. Joshi, A. Pradhananga--Chang
  • LED Display--P. Ford, A. Miller, E. Sand--Wieringa