Department of Computer Science
Chair: Professor Henning Schulzrinne, 450 Computer Science, 212-939-7004
• computer vision
• tactile sensing
• 3-D modeling
Activities include working on software and hardware projects in the Columbia Robotics Lab. Some current projects include automated 3-D site modeling of outdoor structures, graphical simulation of multifingered grasping, 3-D reconstruction of objects, and medical robotics. Research positions carry academic credit and may extend into summer and/or have remuneration. Weekly commitment is about 10 hours. Students should be able to work independently; have completed COMS W3137: Data structures and algorithms; and have had some experience with either computer vision, robotics, or graphics. Details on research in the Columbia Robotics Lab can be found at http://www.cs.columbia.edu/robotics.
Contact: Professor Peter Allen, , 450 Computer Science, 212-939-7093
• computer architecture
Contact: Professor Luca Carloni, l, 466 Computer Science,
• combinatorial optimization algorithms
• computer-aided design for embedded systems and integrated circuits
• semi-custom and full-custom VLSI circuits design
Opportunity to work on graduate-level research projects. These include development of combinatorial optimization algorithms, software development of prototype computer-aided design (CAD) tools for integrated circuits and embedded systems, and design of VLSI systems using state-of-the-art commercial CAD tools. Projects can be done for academic credit, and continuation over the summer is possible. Projects may be done independently or as part of a larger team. Based on the type of project, one or more of the following prerequisites is necessary: proficiency in data structures and at least one high-level programming language (C, C++, Java), knowledge of digital hardware design and computer organization, fundamentals of digital integrated circuits design, knowledge of a hardware description language (VHDL, Verilog).
212-939-7043
• device driver development
• domain-specific languages
• compilers
• computer-aided design tools
Projects include embedded system design and development, device driver development, design and implementation of domain-specific languages and their compilers, and development and implementation of algorithms for synthesizing hardware and software from the real-time language Esterel. Projects are ongoing and can be done for academic credit either during the term or over the summer. Knowledge of C/C++, operating systems, digital hardware design, optimization algorithms, and compilers is desirable. Projects may be done independently or as part of a larger team.
Contact: Professor Stephen Edwards, , 462 Computer Science, 212-939-7019
• collaborative, mobile, and wearable computing environments
• tracked, see-through/hear-through head-worn displays
• knowledge-based generation of multimedia presentations
• multimodal user interfaces, including head/hand/eye tracking and speech
• information visualization
• 3-D GUI design
These opportunities involve the design and implementation of 3-D computer graphics and user interface software for indoor and outdoor users, using a range of displays and interaction devices: head worn, handheld, desktop, and wall sized. Multidisciplinary projects potentially involve interaction with faculty in other departments and schools, including Anesthesiology, Archictecture, Art History, Journalism, Medical Informatics, and Music. Research positions provide academic credit or remuneration and are offered during fall, spring, and summer. Weekly commitment is about 10 hours, and the prerequisites are completion of one of: COMS W4160: Computer graphics, COMS W4170: User interface design, COMS W4172: 3D user interfaces, COMS E6174: Interaction design, or equivalent experience/courses; and software design and development expertise.
Contact: Professor Steven Feiner, , 609 CEPSR, 212-939-7083
• Web search
• distributed information retrieval
Programming and research-oriented projects to develop search tools for the Internet. Academic credit and continuation over the summer possible. Weekly commitment is 10 hours. Prerequisites: COMS W3137: Data structures and algorithms; COMS W4111: Database systems; and programming experience in Java, C, C++, Python, or Perl.
Contact: Professor Luis Gravano,
http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~gravano/
• publish/subscribe event systems
• software testing
• Web technologies
• security
• collaborative computing
• GUI programming
• applied AI
• software development environments and tools
Different projects require different programming languages and OS platforms. Time commitment approximately 12 hours per week for a 3-point project. Work conducted in the Programming Systems Laboratory, located in 6LE1 CEPSR.
Contact: Professor Gail Kaiser, ; http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~kaiser
movies, sitcoms, newscasts, documentaries, etc.
• intelligent video summarization
• fast low-level computer vision on compressed video streams
• performance evaluation of algorithms for the above
Activities include paper study, library research, systems design, computer analysis, and mathematical modeling. Research positions carry academic credit; some limited
work-study for pay is also available. Both are available year-round. Weekly commitment is about 10 hours. Students must be able to work independently, must have completed COMS W3139: Data structures and algorithms, and must be proficient in C, C++, or Java. Completion of COMS W4701: Artificial intelligence and/or COMS W4731: Computer vision and/or COMS W4735: Visual interfaces to computers is desirable but not necessary.
Contact: Professor John Kender, , 622 CEPSR, 212-939-7115
• denial of service
• worms and viruses
• access control
• cryptographic protocol design and evaluation
• wireless security
• systems aspects of security
Software design and implementation, paper study, application projects, and/or library research providing academic credit during fall, spring, and summer. Commitment of 9–12 hours per week is expected. COMS W3119: Data structures and algorithms is required; COMS W4180: Network security, COMS W4118: Operating systems, and COMS W4119: Computer networks are desirable. One or more of the following languages is required: C, C++, Java.
Contact: Professor Angelos D. Keromytis, , 515 Computer Science, 212-939-7095; http://nsl.cs.columbia.edu/projects/projects.html
Activities include paper study or computer implementations for cryptographic algorithms, possibly for academic credit and/or renumeration. COMS 4261: Introduction to cryptography, mathematical maturity, and/or strong programming skills are required.
Contact: Professor Tal Malkin, , 514 Computer Science, 212-939-7097
• multimedia explanation
• statistical processing for natural language
• text summarization
Programming projects involving development of tools for natural language generation and statistical analysis. Academic credit and continuation over the summer possible. Weekly commitment is 10 hours. Prerequisites: COMS W4701: Artificial intelligence; LISP and C. Preferred: COMS W4705: Natural language processing.
Contact: Professor Kathleen McKeown, , 450 Computer Science,
212-939-7118
• real-time multimedia services
• network, Internet, and thin-client computing
• Internet streaming media
• performance of WWW systems
Software design and implementation, paper study, application projects, and/or library research providing academic credit during fall, spring, and summer. Commitment of 9–12 hours per week is required. COMS W3139: Data structures and algorithms is required; COMS W4118: Operating systems and/or COMS W4119: Computer networks is desirable. One or more of the following languages is required: C, C++, Java.
Contact: Professor Jason Nieh, , 518 Computer Science,
212-939-7160; http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~nieh/research/projects
• asynchronous VLSI design
• optimization algorithms
Research possibilities include (a) software CAD tools (“computer-aided design”) for digital systems, and (b) digital circuit design. Opportunity to work on graduate-level research projects. These include CAD tool development, optimization algorithms, and VLSI design projects, possibly involving reading of recent research papers, with academic credit or remuneration in return for a weekly time commitment of 10–12 hours. Minimum GPA of 3.3. Prerequisites: (a) for CAD projects, digital logic basics (COMS 3824 or equivalent), computer organization (COMS 3824), data structures (COMS 3137 or 3139), and knowledge of C or C++ (recommended, but not required: COMS W4861: Computer-aided design of digital systems); (b) for digital design projects, either computer hardware design (ELEN 4340) or VLSI circuits (ELEN 4321). Continuation over the summer is possible.
Contact: Professor Steven Nowick, , 508 Computer Science, 212-939-7056
• systems biology
• comparative genomics
• bioinformatics
Computational biology is a young field aimed at understanding life sciences by computerized analysis of high throughput experimental data. Opportunities are available for talented students with strong interests in this interdisciplinary field. Quantitative thinking is required, and for different projects either programming skills or background biomedical sciences are required. Depending on the project and candidate, academic credit or pay is possible. Specific projects are focused on personalized medicine, inference of genetics of ancestral human populations, reverse engineering of cellular information processing, and cancer genomics.
Contact: Professor Itsik Pe’er, , 505 Computer Science, 212-939-7000; http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~itsik/Contact.htm
• network security and fault detection
• communication protocol design, analysis, implementation, and testing
Research projects involve design and analysis of novel communication network architectures and mechanisms to ensure these networks operate as they are supposed to. Projects that involve mathematical modeling are available for students with exceptional aptitude in algorithms and/or probability. Software design projects are also available: prerequisite knowledge of C, C++, and/or Java required. During the school year, 5–10 hours of work expected per week, 20–40 during summers. Positions for academic credit and paid positions are available. Coursework in algorithms, probability a must. A network-oriented course (COMS W4119 or ELEN E4710) also preferred.
Contact: Dan Rubenstein, , 816 CEPSR, 212-854-0050
• wireless and ad hoc network applications
• Web applications
Design, simulation, and implementation providing academic credit (also summer) in exchange for a 5-hour weekly commitment. Satisfactory completion of COMS W3157: Advanced programming or equivalent is required. COMS W4119: Computer networks is desirable. Excellent background is required in one or more of the following languages: C, C++, Java, PHP, Tcl/Tk.
Contact: Professor Henning Schulzrinne, , 450 Computer Science, 212-939-7004
• computational learning theory
Activities include paper study and computer experiments with learning algorithms and simulations, possibly for academic credit and/or remuneration. Good programming skills, solid math background, and/or strong familiarity with mathematical software packages such as Maple, Mathematica, etc., are required.
Contact: Professor Rocco Servedio, , 517 CSB, 212-939-7065
• VLSI design
• offensive and defensive cyber warfare (with focus on hardware)
• cell phone application development
• application characterization
• operating system development
A unique opportunity to work in a fun and challenging environment in the Computer Architecture Lab. Research activities include paper study, understanding hardware, software design and development, and application analysis for academic credit and/or remuneration. Projects may be individual or pair projects. Some of these projects are multidisciplinary and potentially may involve interaction with faculty in other departments and schools, including Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sociology, and Chemistry. Roughly 10-hour weekly commitment. Prerequisites: strong problem-solving skills, good GPA, eagerness to learn, and good programming skills.
Contact: Professor Simha Sethumadhavan, , 465 CSB,
212-939-7062; http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~simha/cal/urip_projects.html
• intrusion detection
• insider and masquerade attack detection
• stealthy malware detection
• behavior-based access control
Software design and implementation, paper study, application projects, and/or library research providing academic credit during fall, spring, and summer. Commitment of 9–12 hours per week is expected. COMS W3139: Data structures and algorithms is required; COMS W4180: Network security, COMS W4771: Machine learning, and COMS W4119: Computer networks are desirable. One or more of the following languages is required: C, C++, Java.
Contact: Professor Salvatore J. Stolfo, , 515 Computer Science, 212-939-7095; http://nsl.cs.columbia.edu/projects/projects.html