Computing at Computing at Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth University

Chris LoftusChris Loftus

Senior Teaching Fellow and Third Year Senior Teaching Fellow and Third Year CoordinatorCoordinator

Checking out your University choicesChecking out your University choices

…….. the town.. the town

…….. the campus.. the campus

……..the people..the people

ComputersComputers 2 workstation rooms just for CS students, 2 workstation rooms just for CS students,

one donated by Sunone donated by Sun Cluster of Sun V880sCluster of Sun V880s Several PC-based Beowulf clustersSeveral PC-based Beowulf clusters

Large robotics laboratoryLarge robotics laboratory Assembly robotsAssembly robots Mobile robotsMobile robots AerobotsAerobots VICON vision systemVICON vision system

New robot scientist laboratoryNew robot scientist laboratory New Visualisation CentreNew Visualisation Centre

……..the equipment..the equipment

……..what will I study? ..what will I study?

Help you make a decision about Aber and Help you make a decision about Aber and help us make a decision about youhelp us make a decision about you

……..what will I do then? ..what will I do then?

Plan for the dayPlan for the day

Talks: (1.30 – 2.30)•Academics•Student life•Team building and careers

Tour Lab / Robots / Chator

orLab / Robots / Chat Tour

Tea and Cake (3.30 – 4)

Safe home (5pm)

What does a CS department do?What does a CS department do?

Consulting Consulting CASIS – centre for advanced software and intelligent CASIS – centre for advanced software and intelligent

systems systems http://www.aber.ac.uk/casis/http://www.aber.ac.uk/casis/

ResearchResearch Latest Research Assessment Exercise: Latest Research Assessment Exercise:

• 100% research being of international quality.. Best in Wales100% research being of international quality.. Best in Wales

Source of final year projects and even jobsSource of final year projects and even jobs Main Topics: Model-Based Systems; Bioinformatics and Main Topics: Model-Based Systems; Bioinformatics and

Biocomputing; Intelligent Robotics; Vision, Graphics and Biocomputing; Intelligent Robotics; Vision, Graphics and Visualisation; Software EngineeringVisualisation; Software Engineering

Teaching – the most important to you!Teaching – the most important to you!

Aim of our coursesAim of our coursesWe seek to produce graduates who have:We seek to produce graduates who have:

a broad knowledge of Computing, a broad knowledge of Computing, a wide skills base, a wide skills base, good intellectual skills, and good intellectual skills, and strengthened interpersonal skills.strengthened interpersonal skills.

So that they …. can adapt and be relevant in 10 years time.So that they …. can adapt and be relevant in 10 years time.

Do we succeed?Do we succeed?Degrees accredited by British Computer SocietyDegrees accredited by British Computer Society

Top marks in last QAA assessment Top marks in last QAA assessment Voted best ‘Computer Science Teaching in Wales’ by studentsVoted best ‘Computer Science Teaching in Wales’ by students Aberystwyth voted 4Aberystwyth voted 4thth in UK for Teaching and Learning in UK for Teaching and Learning Our students get good jobs in the Computing industryOur students get good jobs in the Computing industry And also have funAnd also have fun

Undergraduate CoursesUndergraduate Courses Common themes to degreesCommon themes to degrees

Common first year of study, and much of second yearCommon first year of study, and much of second year Emphasis on adaptable, vocationally oriented Emphasis on adaptable, vocationally oriented

computing education computing education Degree schemes offered:Degree schemes offered:

Computer ScienceComputer Science Software EngineeringSoftware Engineering Internet Computing and Systems AdministrationInternet Computing and Systems Administration Business Information TechnologyBusiness Information Technology

Degree ‘flavours’ linked to our research interestsDegree ‘flavours’ linked to our research interests Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence AI and RoboticsAI and Robotics Ubiquitous computingUbiquitous computing Computer Graphics, Vision and Games Computer Graphics, Vision and Games Open Source Computing Open Source Computing

Features of all our degreesFeatures of all our degrees Flexible Flexible

you can change scheme or mix and matchyou can change scheme or mix and match

Vocational Vocational Activity weekend in first year - interpersonal and team Activity weekend in first year - interpersonal and team

skills. skills. Professional skills weekend in second year - mock Professional skills weekend in second year - mock

interviewsinterviews Encouraged to spend a year in industryEncouraged to spend a year in industry ProjectProject basedbased

Hard Work – Lots of project work!Hard Work – Lots of project work!

Common Choice of First YearCommon Choice of First Year

Total Beginner Most Experience

Semester 1 Semester 2

Introduction

To

Programming

(Java)

Maths driving license

Operating systems

Databases

Concepts

in

Programming

(Java and …)

Operating systems

elective

Formal LanguagesSoftware

Design

(Java)

Prof develop (with AI)

Telecomms

Web Tools html/xml/Jscript

Business Information TechnologyBusiness Information Technology

Total Beginner More Experience

(similar to other schemes) Semester 1 Semester 2

Introduction

To

Programming

(Java)

Maths driving license

Operating systems

Databases

Concepts

in

Programming

(Java and …)

Operating systems

Intro to Info Studies

The Business Environment (2 semesters)

Prof development

Telecomms

Web Tools html/xml/Jscript

Photoshop

CS or BIT major with …..CS or BIT major with …..

Other schemes Major

Semester 1 Semester 2

Introduction

To

Programming

(Java)

Operating Systems

Software

Design

(Java)

Prof develop

Telecomms

Introduction

To

Programming

(Java)

Operating Systems

20 credits in

your minor

20 credits in

your minor

Web

Tools

html etc

Maths ….

Databases or elec

Major

Other Departments Other Departments Level 1 and beyondLevel 1 and beyond

Business & Business & ManagementManagement

Sports ScienceSports Science EducationEducation Theatre, Film and TV Theatre, Film and TV

StudiesStudies

Geography &Earth Geography &Earth Studies Studies

Information StudiesInformation Studies PhysicsPhysics MathsMaths PsychologyPsychology

Moving into the Second YearMoving into the Second Year

You may arrive on one degree scheme You may arrive on one degree scheme and wish to change to anotherand wish to change to another

This may be because of interest / first year This may be because of interest / first year modules / A level resultsmodules / A level results

We believe that your first year is more We believe that your first year is more important than your A-level results!important than your A-level results!

MUST pass core modules for course you MUST pass core modules for course you wish to pursuewish to pursue

Modules - Year 2Modules - Year 2 Data Structures & AlgorithmsData Structures & Algorithms Architecture & HardwareArchitecture & Hardware C and unixC and unix C++C++ Databases and Data Databases and Data

AnalysisAnalysis Artificial Intelligence Toolbox Artificial Intelligence Toolbox

(2 modules)(2 modules) Intelligent RoboticsIntelligent Robotics

The Internet: Design & construction

Web ProgrammingWeb Programming Image ProcessingImage Processing Interactive GraphicsInteractive Graphics Mobile Computing Mobile Computing User Centred DesignUser Centred Design Commercial Database Commercial Database

systems systems

………………………….and more.and more

Focus: Software Development Lifecycle (Group Project)Focus: Software Development Lifecycle (Group Project)

One of this year’s projects:One of this year’s projects:Android Phone Game Android Phone Game

Between years 2 and 3 Between years 2 and 3 Year in Industry (optional)Year in Industry (optional)

We prepare you for finding a job (later)We prepare you for finding a job (later) We help you find one relevant to your degreeWe help you find one relevant to your degree We support you while you are outWe support you while you are out Why would you do that?Why would you do that?

Paid!Paid! Experience – you are Experience – you are nevernever a ‘new’ graduate a ‘new’ graduate Helps your final year understanding and marksHelps your final year understanding and marks Source of Final year Projects and JobsSource of Final year Projects and Jobs

Some jobs in aber – most notSome jobs in aber – most not

A few places that our students A few places that our students have workedhave worked

Visualisation Centre

Plymouth Marine Lab

Modules - Year ‘3’Modules - Year ‘3’ Distributed SystemsDistributed Systems Agile Methodologies Agile Methodologies Formal Methods in Formal Methods in

S’ware Engineering S’ware Engineering Professional IssuesProfessional Issues Small Real Time SystemsSmall Real Time Systems Network TechnologiesNetwork Technologies Internet admin.Internet admin. Ubiquitous computingUbiquitous computing

Open Source Open Source DevelopmentDevelopment

Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence ConceptsConcepts

Space RoboticsSpace Robotics Advanced Computer Advanced Computer

GraphicsGraphics Computer VisionComputer Vision Visualisation Visualisation

………………..…and more..…and more

Focus: Individual Project (33% of time)

Chris Foulston and Robot ScientistA robotic system for a biological laboratory that can automatically design its own experiments and execute them, then interprets the results for itself. Chris's project was to build a software system to discover and report faults with the Robot Scientist. As well as an excellent major project this was accepted as a poster (and 4 page paper) at a UK e-Science conference.

Modules - Year ‘4’ (MEng)Modules - Year ‘4’ (MEng)

Computer ForensicsComputer Forensics Quantitative Methods in Software EngineeringQuantitative Methods in Software Engineering Hot Topics in Software EngineeringHot Topics in Software Engineering The Internet And How It Really WorksThe Internet And How It Really Works Inroduction to Intelligent SystemsInroduction to Intelligent Systems Developing Advanced Internet-Based Developing Advanced Internet-Based

Applications Applications Distributed Group project Distributed Group project

Getting Help and InformationGetting Help and Information

Lots of it is available:Lots of it is available:http://www.aber.ac.uk/schemeshttp://www.aber.ac.uk/modulesAsk anyone today or call/email later with questionsAsk anyone today or call/email later with questions

This also holds true when you become a student:This also holds true when you become a student:Demonstrators - in the labsDemonstrators - in the labsPersonal tutor – member of staff Personal tutor – member of staff Year tutor – in charge of whole yearYear tutor – in charge of whole yearLecturers – happy to answer questionsLecturers – happy to answer questionsIndustrial Year supervisor – visits you on siteIndustrial Year supervisor – visits you on siteFinal year project supervisor – weekly meetingsFinal year project supervisor – weekly meetings

So what makes Aberystwyth So what makes Aberystwyth different?different?

Being a student in AberystwythBeing a student in Aberystwyth

Team work preparing for a career and funTeam work preparing for a career and fun

Next Talks……….Next Talks……….