USF Computer Science New Grad Student Orientation Chris Brooks.

USF Computer ScienceUSF Computer ScienceNew Grad Student New Grad Student

OrientationOrientation

Chris BrooksChris Brooks

USF ProfessorsUSF Professors

• Jeff BuckwalterJeff Buckwalter• Chris BrooksChris Brooks• Allan CruseAllan Cruse• David Galles (on sabbatical)David Galles (on sabbatical)• Terence ParrTerence Parr• Peter PachecoPeter Pacheco• Sami RollinsSami Rollins• Dave Wolber (on sabbatical)Dave Wolber (on sabbatical)• Pete WellsPete Wells

IcebreakerIcebreaker

• Introduce yourself!Introduce yourself!– What’s your name?What’s your name?– Where are you from?Where are you from?– How did you find out about USF and How did you find out about USF and why did you come to USF?why did you come to USF?

ITS AccountsITS Accounts

• This is your <name>@usfca.edu This is your <name>@usfca.edu accountaccount

• Your username and password/PIN was Your username and password/PIN was mailed to your home address. Or, mailed to your home address. Or, visit Help Desk on Lone Mountainvisit Help Desk on Lone Mountain

• USFconnect site: can obtain grades, USFconnect site: can obtain grades, degree audits, financial records, degree audits, financial records, and other personal records online:and other personal records online:http://usfconnect.usfca.eduhttp://usfconnect.usfca.edu

CS AccountsCS Accounts

• This is your <name>@cs.usfca.edu This is your <name>@cs.usfca.edu accountaccount

• Your username is probably the same Your username is probably the same as your USFConnect usernameas your USFConnect username

• Use this account to log into the CS Use this account to log into the CS machines (HRN 235, 5th floor labs)machines (HRN 235, 5th floor labs)

• Problems? Talk to: Problems? Talk to: [email protected] or Cody [email protected] or Cody Nivens / Alex FedosovNivens / Alex Fedosov

AccessAccess• MailMail

– Can be accessed via the web-based interface at Can be accessed via the web-based interface at https://nexus.cs.usfca.edu/webmailhttps://nexus.cs.usfca.edu/webmail

– Can be accessed remotely using POP or IMAP to Can be accessed remotely using POP or IMAP to nexus.cs.usfca.edunexus.cs.usfca.edu

• Remote loginRemote login– SSH to stargate.cs.usfca.edu, then ssh to a SSH to stargate.cs.usfca.edu, then ssh to a lab machine (lab machine ([email protected]@cs.usfca.edu))

– Do not use stargate for programming or Do not use stargate for programming or compute-intensive programscompute-intensive programs

• WebWeb– Web pages may be placed in /home/web/usernameWeb pages may be placed in /home/web/username– URL: http://www.cs.usfca.edu/~usernameURL: http://www.cs.usfca.edu/~username

Available ResourcesAvailable Resources

• HRN 235 (aka “Starship Kudlick”)HRN 235 (aka “Starship Kudlick”)– 30 dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes30 dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes– Classes during day, lab at night Classes during day, lab at night

• 55thth floor labs (HRN 530, 535, 536) floor labs (HRN 530, 535, 536)– 535: dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes535: dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes– 530: Mac G5s (OS X, Yellow Dog Linux)530: Mac G5s (OS X, Yellow Dog Linux)– 536: separate lab for research projects536: separate lab for research projects

• Wireless access is available Wireless access is available throughout the 5th floor.throughout the 5th floor.

EmailEmail

• Email is an excellent way to Email is an excellent way to communicate with your professors.communicate with your professors.– Check your CS email at least once a Check your CS email at least once a day.day.

• Tips:Tips:– Use a descriptive subject line. (not ‘Hi’ Use a descriptive subject line. (not ‘Hi’ or ‘this is Bob’)or ‘this is Bob’)

– Give enough detail. Give enough detail. – Please don’t use “IM-speak” (u instead of Please don’t use “IM-speak” (u instead of you, 2 instead of to, etc)you, 2 instead of to, etc)

Available ResourcesAvailable Resources

• Other labs (campus-wide ITS Other labs (campus-wide ITS accounts)accounts)– University CenterUniversity Center– CowellCowell– Gleeson LibraryGleeson Library

• Also wireless hereAlso wireless here

• Keck ClusterKeck Cluster– 64 Node parallel cluster64 Node parallel cluster– Used for parallel programming classes, Used for parallel programming classes, researchresearch

Academic HonestyAcademic Honesty• All students are expected to do their own workAll students are expected to do their own work• Cheating is taken very seriouslyCheating is taken very seriously

– We have expelled students for cheating in the past.We have expelled students for cheating in the past.• Examples:Examples:

– Discussing general parameters of an assignment - OKDiscussing general parameters of an assignment - OK– Copying someone else’s assignment – NOT OKCopying someone else’s assignment – NOT OK– Looking at and directly using someone else’s code – Looking at and directly using someone else’s code – NOT OKNOT OK

– Downloading code from the Web and claiming it as Downloading code from the Web and claiming it as your own – NOT OKyour own – NOT OK

– Unauthorized “collaboration” on an exam or project Unauthorized “collaboration” on an exam or project – NOT OK– NOT OK

• Plagiarism: properly reference material Plagiarism: properly reference material written by otherswritten by others

• If you are unsure whether something is If you are unsure whether something is permitted, please ask!permitted, please ask!

English ProficiencyEnglish Proficiency

• TOEFL scoresTOEFL scores– 600(paper)/250(CBT): ok600(paper)/250(CBT): ok– 530/213-550/250: must take Adv 530/213-550/250: must take Adv Intensive English course Fall 2004Intensive English course Fall 2004

– 530/197-550/213: must improve to 530/197-550/213: must improve to 550 before taking >1 CS course550 before taking >1 CS course

• ESL classes ESL classes http://www.usfca.edu/esl/http://www.usfca.edu/esl/

English ProficiencyEnglish Proficiency

• You will be expected to write and You will be expected to write and speak in English as part of your speak in English as part of your classes.classes.– Giving presentations, writing technical Giving presentations, writing technical documents.documents.

– Communication of results and ideas is an Communication of results and ideas is an essential part of this profession.essential part of this profession.

• If you are not confident in your If you are not confident in your speaking or writing, there are speaking or writing, there are resources available to help you.resources available to help you.– Additional ESL classesAdditional ESL classes– USF Learning and Writing CenterUSF Learning and Writing Center

Required CoursesRequired Courses

• 36 units are required (== 9 36 units are required (== 9 courses)courses)MSCS track:

OO Software Development

2 courses in Software Development

1 course in Concurrent Computing and Networking

2 courses in Hardware/Software interface

2 electives

Master’s thesis or project.

MSIE track:

Internet Systems Research

Distributed Software Development

HCI Design

OO Software Development

AI programming

2 electives

Master’s project

Residency

WorkloadWorkload

• We expect students to put in We expect students to put in at leastat least 3 3 hours outside of class for every hour in hours outside of class for every hour in class.class.

• Most classes will require a project every Most classes will require a project every week or two.week or two.– The way to learn is by doing.The way to learn is by doing.

• You will almost always have at least one You will almost always have at least one project to work on.project to work on.

• The keys to success:The keys to success:– Budget your time effectively.Budget your time effectively.

• Figure out how long you think it will take to complete Figure out how long you think it will take to complete a project.a project.

Then double it.Then double it.

– Start early on projectsStart early on projects

Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

• Graduate school is very different from Graduate school is very different from undergrad.undergrad.

• More open-ended, less “connect the More open-ended, less “connect the dots”dots”– You may be given projects that are not You may be given projects that are not completely specified, or have multiple completely specified, or have multiple solutions.solutions.

– We want to teach you how to teach We want to teach you how to teach yourself.yourself.

• ““Teachers open the door. Students must Teachers open the door. Students must walk through on their own.” walk through on their own.”

Advice for successAdvice for success

• ““90% of life is showing up” - Woody Allen90% of life is showing up” - Woody Allen– Come to class on time, do your homework on Come to class on time, do your homework on time, and follow through on things.time, and follow through on things.

• Ask questions! Don’t be shy!Ask questions! Don’t be shy!• Be curious. Pursue topics that interest Be curious. Pursue topics that interest you, even if it’s not for a class.you, even if it’s not for a class.– Learning how to learn on your own is an Learning how to learn on your own is an invaluable skill.invaluable skill.

• Budget your time carefully.Budget your time carefully.– Everything takes longer than you think it Everything takes longer than you think it will.will.

Financial AidFinancial Aid

• Merit ScholarshipsMerit Scholarships• Available jobsAvailable jobs

– Visa issuesVisa issues• 20 hours/week max work study20 hours/week max work study• no outside work - on campus is OK, no outside work - on campus is OK, though.though.

– ITSITS– Research and TA positionsResearch and TA positions

• Hard to get your first semester - most Hard to get your first semester - most professors will want to know you first. professors will want to know you first.

Summer WorkSummer Work

• Often, students want to do an Often, students want to do an internship during the summer.internship during the summer.

• International students can do this by International students can do this by using OPT, or by using CPT. MSIE do using OPT, or by using CPT. MSIE do “summer residency”“summer residency”– Requires you to register for CS 689 or CS Requires you to register for CS 689 or CS 698.698.

• Students are responsible for finding Students are responsible for finding their own internships.their own internships.– Watch your email, talk to other students, Watch your email, talk to other students, use craigslist, go to job fairs. Start use craigslist, go to job fairs. Start soon to find a job!soon to find a job!

Finding a job after Finding a job after graduationgraduation

• We don’t do any formal placement We don’t do any formal placement of students after graduation.of students after graduation.

• Informally, students often take Informally, students often take advantage of relationships built advantage of relationships built through projects or internships.through projects or internships.

• Professors help when they can.Professors help when they can.• All of last year’s graduating All of last year’s graduating class are working in the class are working in the industry.industry.

AdvisingAdvising

• All graduate students are advised All graduate students are advised by Terence Parrby Terence Parr– [email protected]@cs.usfca.edu– Harney 532Harney 532– Office hours:Office hours:

• MTWR 11-12pmMTWR 11-12pm• Or, any time door is open, or by Or, any time door is open, or by appointmentappointment

– If you have a pressing need, please If you have a pressing need, please schedule an appointment rather than schedule an appointment rather than just “dropping in.”just “dropping in.”

Questions?Questions?