Week 11 Activity (Tuesday): Colloquium talk at Mudd
This week, Harvey Mudd College hosts a talk by Hammad Ahmad, from the University of Michigan, who is a candidate for a faculty position in the CS department at the college. The talk begins at 4:15 PM on Tuesday, but a reception with refreshments will be held outside at 4:00 PM.
This talk is one of two colloquium options for this week. The other option is to attend the Nelson Series talk by Stephanie Dinkins which takes place on Monday at 6:00pm. (You can also attend both events if you wish!)
Because there are two colloquium talks this week, with no talk on Thursday, we have slightly different rules for this week for students enrolled in CS Colloquium (CS 195).
- Regardless of your section, you can come to at least one of the talks please do so rather than watch a recording afterwards—having a good audience turnout really matters. If you can come to both, that's even better!
RSVP for the Talk
To help us better plan for the event, if you're enrolled in Colloquium, please let us know if you plan to attend the talk (or not!). You can do so by indicating at the link below:
Understanding Understanding: How Do We Reason about Computational Logic?
Abstract
Would you like more useful tools to help you with debugging? Have you ever spent a long time studying the proof of an algorithm? Are you curious about your brain’s involvement in coding? In this talk, we explore functional, physiological, and medical methods to understand cognition for logical reasoning in computer science. First, we present an automated repair tool for hardware designs and investigate its use as debugging aid. Second, we leverage eye-tracking to gather insights into how students successfully read and evaluate algorithmic proofs. Finally, we use neurostimulation to codify the relationship between spatial reasoning and program comprehension. We conclude by discussing how such studies of cognition can inform how we program, teach and learn.
About Hammad Ahmad
Hammad Ahmad is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan, advised by Dr. Westley Weimer. His research interests broadly span software engineering and human cognition. He is particularly interested in using the cognitive basis of programming to enhance tool support for developers and explore more effective methods for teaching Computer Science. Coming from a liberal arts background, he is passionate about teaching and mentoring undergraduate students. He previously served as an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Washington and Lee University in Fall 2022, and received a departmental Outstanding Teaching Award at the University of Michigan in 2021. He holds an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a B.S. in Computer Science with Honors from Washington and Lee University.
When and How to Attend
- Tuesday, November 7
- Location: Galileo McAlister, Harvey Mudd College
- Optional reception begins at 4:00 PM
- Talk runs from 4:15–5:30 PM
Recording for Section 2
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This video is provided for students who didn't attend the talk in person. The video is private, so please don't share it with others.
Required Assessment
To receive credit for attending this colloquium, complete the assessment:
Please do so at your soonest convenience, within 24 hours of seeing the talk.
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