What is Computer Science and Computer Engineering?
Innovations in the world of computer technology have changed our lives drastically over the past few decades. It’s hard to believe that twenty years ago few people had heard of the internet. Today, computer scientists are busy developing new ideas that will shape the future.
Computer scientists specialize in the software side of computing, focusing on writing new programs that allow computer applications to run faster and more efficiently. You might work for a security company, creating technology that reduces the risks of viruses and hackers, or develop flight simulation exercises that allow airline pilots to practice managing flight problems.
Computer engineers deal with both software and hardware. As a computer engineer, you could design entire computer systems and networks, making sure that the hardware, or physical equipment, is capable of running the appropriate software. You might build devices such as retinal scanners that identify people by checking their eyes, or you could design computers that are incorporated into prosthetic devices to aide people with disabilities.
Those who continue onward to obtain a graduate degree in either computer science or computer engineering learn to advance the frontiers of science. With an MS or PhD, you will invent the new technologies that enable the next generation of software and computing devices.
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Fall 2018 Special Topics Courses
Students looking for special topics courses for Fall 2018 should consider the following offerings. Note, as with all 4000 and 5000 level courses, be sure to check specific prerequisites, consult with your advisor as to suitability, and perhaps discuss with the course professor as well.
- CSCE 4013/5013 section 001: Applied Cryptography, Dr. Qinghua Li. This course provides an introduction to applied cryptography with an emphasis on how
to use cryptography to solve problems in practice. Students will study various applied
cryptography algorithms/protocols used in the real world, learn how to select, design,
and use algorithms/protocols for the considered system and avoid pitfalls, and practice
this knowledge through hands-on labs. Topics covered include: symmetric cryptography,
public key cryptography, cryptographic hash-based constructions, key distribution,
authentication protocols including authentication in point-to-point and multicast communications,
user-to-computer authentication and client-to-server authentication, IPsec, TLS, design
and analysis of cryptographic constructions, and applied cryptography in selected
emerging computing domains.
- CSCE 4013 section 006: Big Data Analytics and Management, Dr. Lu Zhang. The course will discuss data mining/machine learning algorithms and database techniques
and systems for analyzing and managing big data. Topics include: introduction to big
data computing and management, MapReduce, Hadoop, Spark, large-scale data mining and
machine learning algorithms, streaming data analysis, NoSQL and NewSQL systems. The
goal of the class is for students to understand the state-of-the-art technologies
used in manipulating, storing, and analyzing very large amount of data.
- CSCE 4013/5013 section 002: Design Automation of VLSI Circuits and Systems, Dr. Yarui Peng. This course is a study of the physical design, analysis and optimization of VLSI
circuits and systems with an emphasis on computational realizations and optimization.
For more information see a recent syllabus here.
- CSCE 5013 section 001: Computer Architecture Security, Dr. David Andrews. (Dr. Andrews website)
- CSCE 5013 section 004: Introduction to DNA Nanotechnology, Dr. Matthew Patitz. Nanotechnology, which deals with the manipulation of matter on atomic and molecular scales, encompasses a rapidly growing and evolving sphere involving a wide variety of sciences and engineering disciplines. Nanotechnologists are developing systems in which molecules are designed to self-assemble into complex structures and materials, perform computations, diagnose diseases, and deliver drugs, among many other things. This course will serve as an introduction to several fundamental aspects of theoretical and computational modeling of nanoscale systems (especially DNA-based systems), followed by an introduction to laboratory techniques used to develop them. Topics will cover material in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, and biochemical and biomolecular engineering. However, students from all of those and related disciplines are encouraged to enroll and introductory material will be provided and covered for each topic. The goal is to teach students to synthesize knowledge across the entire spectrum and utilize those tools to analyze and design DNA nanotech systems. Dr. Patitz website.
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News
Dr. Yarui Peng Wins CRII Grant!
Dr. Yarui Peng, Assistant Professor in Computer Science and Computer Engineering (CSCE), was recently awarded a CRII grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct research on Design, Extraction, and Optimization of Multi-Chip Fan-Out Wafer-Level-Packaging for Low-Power Heterogeneous Systems.
The $175,000 grant is to develop a Computer-Aided Design framework to improve the performance and energy efficiency of next generation computers and mobile phones while reducing the design time and efforts for chip engineers. This project will develop the key models and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools to enable integrating various heterogeneous components into advanced 2.5D and 3D integrated circuits. It aims to address the major challenge of maintaining signal integrity and electro-thermal reliability in a powerful yet compact system with multiple ICs closely packed together to improve energy and cost efficiency. Additionally, a graduate course on CAD and physical design will be offered, where undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to learn CAD algorithms, circuit design techniques, VLSI design flows, and to practice their programming skills by developing their own CAD tools through course projects. Read more.
Dr. Dale Thompson, Co-recipient of Food and Cyber Education Grant
Dr. Dale R. Thompson teams up with Dr. Steven Ricke from the Division of Agriculture under the ASCENT Institute to train food science graduates to protect U.S. food systems from cyberattacks. Read more here.
Qinhua Li Wins NSF Career Award!
Dr. Qinghua Li, Assistant professor in CSCE has received one of the National Science Foundation's most prestigious grants for early career faculty members. The NSF's Faculty Early Career Development Program Award, known colloquially as a CAREER Award, is considered the most prestigious awards from NSF. Read more of the story here.
CSCE Hosts Largest Ever High School Programming Competition
High school students from across Arkansas gathered in March at the University of Arkansas for the annual High School Programming Competition, hosted by the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department. More than 60 teams of students squared off in a test of programming and problem-solving in the event, which is sponsored by Walmart, ACM and Acxiom. Read the Newswire story.
CSCE Sends Cyber Hogs to Collegiate Cyber Competition
The Cyber Hogs, a team of 8 undergraduate and graduate students in computer science and computer engineering, recently competed in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in Tulsa. For more check out the Newswire article.
CSCE Cyberhogs Qualify for the Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
This past weekend the local cybersecurity club, the Cyberhogs, qualified for the upcoming
Southwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC), to be held March 23-25,
in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Of the 18 teams competing the Cyberhogs were in the top 8, now
heading to the Regionals. At the February 17 qualifier, teams was given an existing
network configured with various services with vulnerabilities, and teams were responsible
for securing these and ensuring their continued operation. Meanwhile a "red" team
attacked these services. Through the competition services were randomly checked with
points granted if they were still up and running. In addition, there were business
injects throughout the competition. Teams were responsible for answering requests,
memos and correspondence with varying deadlines.
The students that competed were Andrew Beers (team captain), Alicia Gillum, Taylor
Kinsey, Chenglong “Jim” Lin, Yasir Mohammed, Lauren Rainbolt, Clayton Townsend II,
Dylan Walker with alternates Edward Leonard, Andrew Nguyen, Zack Roth, and Trevor
Weihrauch. The coaches were Dale R. Thompson, Associate Professor, Dept. of Computer
Science and Computer Engineering (CSCE), and Alan Greenberg, CISO with ITS.
Walmart Sponsors Women in Computer Science and Computer Engineering to Attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Woman in Computing
Four CSCE students, Sarah Colpitts, Victoria Hobbs, Kylie McClanahan and Lauren Rainbolt, recently attended the Grace Hopper Celebration, thanks to the generosity of Walmart. The three-day conference is the world's largest gathering of women technologists.
CSCE Programming Teams Take First and Fourth at ACM Regional Site
On November 4th, two CSCE student teams competed in the ACM Collegiate Programming Contest, Mid-Central Competition, traveling to the Fort Smith site for the all day contest. Razorback1 (Daniel Hader , Jace McPherson and Joseph Zhang) took first place at the regional site, solving 6 of the 9 problems within the 5 hour time limit. The Razorback2 team (Trevor Barlett, Tara Moses and Garrett Vanbuskirk) came fourth at the site, solving 3 of the 9 problems, missing a tie for 2nd place by a matter of minutes. Congratulations to the teams and their faculty mentors and coaches.
Two New Faculty Members Join Department
In 2017 the Department gained two new faculty members, Yarui Peng and Alexander Nelson, both at the rank of Assistant Professor. Dr. Peng joined us in January after earning his doctorate in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on developing methodologies and algorithms for parasitic extraction, analysis and optimization for signal integrity, and alleviating reliability issues in thermal and power delivery in 2.5D and 3D integrated circuits.
In August Dr. Alex Nelson joined the faculty, coming to us from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he earned a doctorate in Computer Engineering. His research interests include emergency communications, assistive devices, and home automation. Nelson is also interested in the interworking and connectivity of all devices, especially with concern to the cloud and smart objects.
Jia Di Receives NSF Funding for Hardware Security Research
Jia Di, professor and Twenty-First Century Research Leadership Chair, has received a $349,551 grant from the National Science Foundation to support his research into security issues in computing hardware. More ...
CSCE Department Mourns Passing of Doctoral Student, Joseph Fantinel
Joseph Fantinel, a May 2017 CE graduate from Computer Science and Computer Engineering, who had started the PhD program, died Monday, 7/31. The students, faculty and staff of the department grieve with his family and friends. More about Joe can be found in his obituary.
Academy of Computer Science & Computer Engineering Created
The University of Arkansas Academy of Computer Science and Computer Engineering was created in April 2017 to recognize the achievements of graduates from the Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering and others closely affiliated with the department. Read more...
CSCE 2017 Newsletter
The Department's latest newsletter for Fall 2017 is now available.
CSCE Capstone Team Takes First Place in 2017 College Poster Competition
CSCE Seniors Joseph Fantinel, Andrew Felder, Joseph Gauthier, Nicholas Mize, and Dillon
VanBuskirk took first place in the 2017 Senior Capstone Design Poster Competition with their Capstone project, "Autonomous Decentralized Indoor Robot Navigation Using Smart Cameras with ROS for
Efficient Adaptability to Arbitrary Environments."
2016 Newsletter
2016 Newsletter
CSCE Professor Bobda Awarded NSF Grant for Reconfigurable In-Sensor Architectures for High Speed and Low Power In-situ Image Analysis
Dr. Christophe Bobda, Professor in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, was awarded a $477,870 grant to conduct research in Reconfigurable In-Sensor Architectures for High Speed and Low Power In-Situ Image Analysis.
Engineering Student Wins Second Place at International Research Competition
Chenggang Lai, a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering has won second place at the ACM SIGSPATIAL Student Research Competition.
CSCE Assistant Professor Patitz Received National Science Foundation CAREER grant
Dr. Matt Patitz, Assistant Professor in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, received a $500,000 Faculty Early Career Development Program grant - known as a CAREER grant - from the National Science Foundation. The award enables Patitz to continue developing the design and analysis of DNA-based self-assembling systems.
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