USF Computer ScienceUSF Computer ScienceNew Grad Student New Grad Student

OrientationOrientationFall 2008Fall 2008

Terence ParrTerence Parr

USF ProfessorsUSF Professors

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

IcebreakerIcebreaker

• Introduce yourself!Introduce yourself!– What’s your name?What’s your name?– Where are you from?Where are you from?– What’s one fun thing you did this What’s one fun thing you did this summer?summer?

– 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 the same as your Your username is the same as your USFConnect username; password: last USFConnect username; password: last six digits of student IDsix digits of student ID

• 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: support@cssupport@cs..usfcausfca..eduedu or Cody Nivens / Alex Fedosov or Cody Nivens / 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 secure (SSL) POP Can be accessed remotely using secure (SSL) POP or IMAP to nexus.cs.usfca.eduor IMAP to nexus.cs.usfca.edu

• Remote loginRemote login– SSH to stargate.cs.usfca.edu, then ssh to a lab SSH to stargate.cs.usfca.edu, then ssh to a lab machine (hrnxxxyy.cs.usfca.edu); xxx is room machine (hrnxxxyy.cs.usfca.edu); xxx is room like 535 and yy is machine numberlike 535 and yy is machine number

– Do not use stargate for programming or compute-Do not use stargate for programming or compute-intensive programsintensive 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, floor labs (HRN 530, 535, 536)536)– 535: dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes535: dual-boot Linux/Windows boxes– 530: Mac G5s (OS X, Linux)530: Mac G5s (OS X, Linux)

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

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

• CS hosts 4 supercomputers used CS hosts 4 supercomputers used for parallel programming for parallel programming classes and researchclasses and research

Academic HonestyAcademic Honesty• All students are expected to do All students are expected to do their own worktheir own work

• Cheating is taken very seriouslyCheating is taken very seriously– We have expelled students for We have expelled students for cheating in the past.cheating in the past.

• Plagiarism: properly reference Plagiarism: properly reference material written by others; material written by others; you you must never pass off others’ work must never pass off others’ work as your own. Ever!as your own. Ever!

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

Academic Honesty Academic Honesty ExamplesExamples

• OKOK– Discussing general concepts of an assignmentDiscussing general concepts of an assignment– Cutting/pasting little code blocks from web and Cutting/pasting little code blocks from web and changing to suit your applicationchanging to suit your application

• NOT OKNOT OK– Copying someone else’s assignmentCopying someone else’s assignment– Looking at and directly using someone else’s codeLooking at and directly using someone else’s code– Downloading code from the Web and claiming it as Downloading code from the Web and claiming it as your ownyour own

– Unauthorized “collaboration” on an exam or Unauthorized “collaboration” on an exam or projectproject

– Copying web page text and putting unattributed Copying web page text and putting unattributed into report, project, or examinto report, project, or exam

• Your goal is not to repeat what someone else Your goal is not to repeat what someone else has done, but to generate unique content! has done, but to generate unique content! Always.Always.

English ProficiencyEnglish Proficiency

• TOEFL scoresTOEFL scores– 600(paper)/250(CBT)/100(IBT): ok600(paper)/250(CBT)/100(IBT): ok– If you are below this, you must be If you are below this, you must be evaluated by the ESL group at USF.evaluated by the ESL group at USF.

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

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 hours outside of class for every hour in class.in class.

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

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

• The keys to success:The keys to success:– Budget your time effectively.Budget your time effectively.– 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, though.no outside work - on campus is OK, 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.

• Practicum option available to Practicum option available to excellent studentsexcellent students– available after 2 semestersavailable after 2 semesters

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 in Jan. to find job!in Jan. to find 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 All graduate students are advised by Terence Parradvised by Terence Parr– parrt@cs.usfca.eduparrt@cs.usfca.edu– Harney 532Harney 532– Office hours:Office hours:

• Any time door is open, or by 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.”

Personal HygienePersonal Hygiene

• Americans are very sensitive to Americans are very sensitive to body odorbody odor

• Please be sure to keep yourself Please be sure to keep yourself and your clothes clean, and your clothes clean, particularly during warm weatherparticularly during warm weather

• This is important not only for This is important not only for your studies here but getting a your studies here but getting a job and keeping a jobjob and keeping a job

Questions?Questions?