Larry Finkelstein
Dean
Dean
Associate Professor Pete Manolios
continues to increase more quickly
than supply, students from around the
globe are looking to US universities
to provide the advanced education
they need to fill the void. Our cover
story in this issue explains some
of the many reasons Northeastern
is the university of choice for a
significant share of these students.
Associate Professor Panagiotis (Pete) Manolios joined the
Northeastern faculty this year from the College of Computing
at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Northeastern faculty this year from the College of Computing
at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Verification Expert Joins CCIS
from Georgia Tech
from Georgia Tech
Our strong co-op programs, outstanding faculty, and ability to
merge computer and information science with content expertise
make us an attractive destination to students who want a practical
knowledge foundation along with solid work experience. CCIS’s
appeal to international graduate students is enabling curriculum
enhancements throughout our degree programs.
merge computer and information science with content expertise
make us an attractive destination to students who want a practical
knowledge foundation along with solid work experience. CCIS’s
appeal to international graduate students is enabling curriculum
enhancements throughout our degree programs.
Manolios first visited the Northeastern campus at the invitation of
Trustee Professor Mattias Felleisen. “It was clear to me right away that
there were multiple high-powered, world-class research groups here,”
he says. “I was impressed by the direction the college was moving in.”
Trustee Professor Mattias Felleisen. “It was clear to me right away that
there were multiple high-powered, world-class research groups here,”
he says. “I was impressed by the direction the college was moving in.”
Of course, the graduate program is not the only area that is
striving to attract new students. Our Bootstrap program, which
introduces middle school students to computer science while
providing undergraduates with mentoring opportunities, is
poised to become a national model. On page 5, you can learn
about a $150,000 grant from Microsoft that will enable its
continued expansion.
striving to attract new students. Our Bootstrap program, which
introduces middle school students to computer science while
providing undergraduates with mentoring opportunities, is
poised to become a national model. On page 5, you can learn
about a $150,000 grant from Microsoft that will enable its
continued expansion.
expertise to our students. First is a profile of alumna Natasha
Fridman Noy, PhD’98, now a senior research scientist in medical
informatics at Stanford University. Natasha was one of the first
students to study the development of medical ontologies when
she completed her dissertation with Associate Professor Carole
Hafner. Her work helped establish this new branch of information
science, now a significant research area at CCIS.
In a related advance, the college has opened its doors to the first
class of the graduate degree in health informatics. The program,
described on page 6, will prepare students to integrate informa-
tion technology with health care delivery. The use of IT in health
care is in its earliest stages, and promises to increase rapidly in the
coming years. CCIS intends to be a leader in this important field.
class of the graduate degree in health informatics. The program,
described on page 6, will prepare students to integrate informa-
tion technology with health care delivery. The use of IT in health
care is in its earliest stages, and promises to increase rapidly in the
coming years. CCIS intends to be a leader in this important field.
These are fascinating times for computer and information
sciences, with global growth and unprecedented opportunities
for integrating computing with other disciplines. At CCIS, an
outstanding student body guided by expert faculty is leading the
way to success in our ever-evolving field.
sciences, with global growth and unprecedented opportunities
for integrating computing with other disciplines. At CCIS, an
outstanding student body guided by expert faculty is leading the
way to success in our ever-evolving field.
Manolios’ primary research
interest is the verification of
computing systems. He
develops algorithms, method-
ologies, and concepts to
formally and mechanically
reason about systems, and
has devoted much of his
research to applications and
to building and experimentally
validating tools.
He says formal methods can be used to revolutionize the design
and implementation of highly reliable, robust, secure, and scalable
systems in important application areas, ranging from large-scale
component-based software systems to hardware systems to
aerospace systems to computational biology to public health.
He has received grant support from the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) and Boeing, among others.
and implementation of highly reliable, robust, secure, and scalable
systems in important application areas, ranging from large-scale
component-based software systems to hardware systems to
aerospace systems to computational biology to public health.
He has received grant support from the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) and Boeing, among others.
Manolios is also interested in computing education, particularly
giving students the tools they need to reason about programming
from a mathematical foundation. He plans to co-teach a course on
the subject with Assistant Professor Riccardo Pucella next year.
giving students the tools they need to reason about programming
from a mathematical foundation. He plans to co-teach a course on
the subject with Assistant Professor Riccardo Pucella next year.
“Small bugs in programs can have huge consequences,” he says.
“A missile defense malfunction or a machine emitting too much
radiation can kill people.” Even if bugs aren’t life-threatening, they
can be financially devastating. A bug in an Intel chip several years
ago cost the company half a billion dollars to recall and correct.
“A missile defense malfunction or a machine emitting too much
radiation can kill people.” Even if bugs aren’t life-threatening, they
can be financially devastating. A bug in an Intel chip several years
ago cost the company half a billion dollars to recall and correct.
“It’s really important that undergraduates leave school knowing how
to build reliable systems,” he says. “I’m happy to be working with a
group that has done as much in pedagogy as they have here.”
to build reliable systems,” he says. “I’m happy to be working with a
group that has done as much in pedagogy as they have here.”