Past Spotlights on Computer Science
2023
Student highlight
Name: Yan Zhou Chen
Degree: MS and PhD in Computer Science
Faculty lab: Professor Soha Hassoun
Hometown: Saint Paul, MN
Why Tufts?
I love the supportive and collaborative environment at Tufts. I did my undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at Tufts, but I discovered my true passion in computational biology near the end of my senior year. Despite my limited computational skills, Soha, my current advisor, encouraged and supported me to pursue a graduate degree in computer science. Everyone in my lab has been extremely supportive and helpful in my research endeavors.
Favorite thing about living in the Medford/Somerville and Boston area?
There are always things to do and there's always a community for you! I enjoy attending boxing classes regularly and I occasionally try out new activities like axe throwing or aerial yoga. Most importantly, the food options here are endless.
Any advice you’d give to prospective students or new graduate students?
Find a hobby outside of school and attend social events hosted by the graduate student council or the department and meet other grad students!
Faculty highlight
Name: Professor Soha Hassoun
Research interests: Computational methods for systems biology and metabolic engineering, computer-aided design for integrated circuits
About Professor Hassoun:
Professor Hassoun has a primary appointment in the Department of Computer Science and holds secondary appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Hassoun was an integrated circuit designer with Digital Equipment Corporation's Microprocessor Design Group, and worked as a consultant to several EDA companies, including Mentor Graphics and Carbon Design Systems. Her current research interests include developing algorithmic solutions to facilitate designing integrated circuits, and understanding the impact of new technologies such as double-gate devices, carbon nanotubes, and 3-D integration on design.
2022
Student highlight
Name: Monsurat Olaosebikan
Degree: Ph.D. in Computer Science
Faculty lab: Professor Lenore Cowen
Hometown: Bridgeport, CT
Why Tufts?
I chose Tufts for two reasons, the opportunity to do interdisciplinary research and my advisor. As someone coming from a non-computer science background (I majored in Mechanical Engineering in undergrad) I wanted somewhere I could gain a strong technical background in Computer Science while also being able to use my prior knowledge in interdisciplinary research. From my first phone call with my advisor, I could tell that she was someone willing to go the extra mile to see her students succeed and that still holds true today. She’s amazing and I am extremely fortunate to have her as an advisor.
Favorite thing about living in the Medford/Somerville and Boston area?
I love the food and startup culture. Boston is a very entrepreneurial city and it’s inspiring to be surrounded by people with great ideas who want to change the world.
Any advice you’d give to prospective students or new graduate students?
For new graduate students, I would say make an effort to get to know the other students in your cohort. A Ph.D. is a long, difficult journey and you want all the support you can get.
Faculty highlight
Name: Professor Lenore Cowen
Research interests: Data science, graph algorithms, distributed algorithms, approximate routing, classification and clustering for high-dimensional data, coloring and its generalizations, and computational molecular biology
About Professor Cowen:
Lenore Cowen's research interests span three areas: discrete mathematics, algorithms, and computational molecular biology. Following the completion of her Ph.D. in mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she was an NSF postdoctoral fellow and then joined the faculty of the Mathematical Sciences Department (now the Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department) at John Hopkins University. She joined Tufts in 2001.