Research
Faculty members in the MCIS department are pursuing research into many different aspects of Mathematics and Computer Science. In fact, several of the current research projects are being funded by major grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA. Current projects range from Applied Artificial Intelligence, Human Computer Interaction, and Wireless Network Security to Web-based Mathematics Curriculum Development.
Research Groups
Several faculty members in the MCIS department have formed specialized research groups in which they tackle specific problems related to their area of expertise. More information on each of these groups can be found below.
Knowledge Systems Laboratory
The Knowledge Systems Laboratory pursues multidisciplinary research and collaboration with industry. Dr. Mario Aguilar and his students explore areas of artificial intelligence, neural networks, computer vision for multidimensional processing, complex data visualization, user interfaces, robotics, and human factors. Some of their objectives are as follows:
- researching and advancing our understanding of human cognition and complex systems
- applying our understanding of animal behavior to the design of autonomous agents
- designing information processing and manipulation systems based on human cognition and social systems paradigms in order to design systems with enhanced computational capabilities and computer-user interfaces
- developing "knowledge engineering" strategies based on the above insights to solve day-to-day problems
- designing intelligent and autonomous systems that facilitate the users' tasks
- pursuing collaborations with academia, industry, and government agencies
VeNeLa
The Versatile Networks Laboratory Project is designed to create a pedagogical computer network laboratory that is versatile to manage heterogeneous protocols, scalable to handle growing network client and server nodes, and adaptable to new technology. Its main objectives are the following:
- to provide students the hands-on experiences in installing and managing an advanced heterogeneous computer network
- to conduct research on a controlled networking environment
- to apply and/or simulate networking theory and concepts
Current Activities: LAN Benchmarking, Intrusion Detection Systems, Protocol Analysis, Network Performance Analysis, Development of Network Activity Tools
IWTCN Laboratory
Wireless technologies are being integrated to an existing computer networks laboratory. The goals of the Integration of Wireless Technologies in Computer Networks Laboratory are the following:
- to provide closed laboratory sessions utilizing a heterogeneous local area network augmented with wireless technologies
- to enhance undergraduate research in the application of wireless technology in manufacturing environments where wired access may not be feasible
- to design and implement undergraduate development projects emphasizing the scarcity of resources, the need for brevity, and the implications of embedded type applications
Current Activities: WLAN Benchmarking, Bluetooth Security, Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems, 802.11 and Bluetooth Co-Existing, 802.11 Security, Data Encryption, Development of Tools for Wireless Performance Analysis, and Pocket PC and J2ME Application Programming
Publications
A complete listing of all recent publications produced by the MCIS faculty and staff.
Student Projects
A listing of some of the work done by students in the MCIS department.