Name: Nick Bidler
Pronouns:
Institution: California State University Fullerton
Department: Computer Science
Biography:
I went to a community college and switched my major from Computer Science to History because I my grades were better in that class. I was unable to find work that required the degree, so over the next decade, I worked a few part-time jobs that are not relevant to this position while I completed the undergraduate prerequisites for a Computer Science MS. I am currently in my final semester of my Master’s degree, and the chemistry professor I have been assisting as part of my capstone project suggested I apply to this program.
Academic Status: Masters Student
Year in program: 3rd
Research Area/Department: Computer Science
Other, specify:
Major/Specialty: Computer Science, concentrated on algorithm design and artificial intelligence
Degrees Earned or in Progress: Master of Science, Computer Science, expected December 2023
What courses or academic preparation have you completed to prepare for a summer internship experience?
Relevant courses may include: Technical Writing for Computer Science Compilers and Languages Operating System Concepts Algorithm Engineering Software Engineering Comp. System Architecture Artificial Intelligence Advanced Algorithms Network Security Fundamentals Cyber Forensics Adv. Database Management
Have you published any research or worked on research/technical projects? Yes
Where has your research been published or where have you conducted research/technical projects? I am currently working on my capstone project, by helping Dr. Michael Groves with his research project (will be published in future).
Please describe your research/academic interests:
As part of a larger project, Dr. Groves picked a neural network tool to replace Density Functional Theory (DFT) equations as a faster-but-less-accurate alternative. My part of the research is in trying to find what neural network configuration results in acceptable levels of inaccuracy while taking less time than a complete DFT equation. My academic interest is in figuring out if any neural network behavior can be generalized, and “”algorithm design”” is generally what I would call fun puzzles.
Computational and Data Science Areas:
Applied Mathematics; Computational Science Applications, i.e., Bioscience, Cosmology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Nanotechnology, Climate, etc.; Computer Science; High-Performance Computing; Machine Learning and AI; Quantum Computing and Information Science
Research Synergy:
Oh, where to begin? Between Computational Science and Quantum Computing: see if there is any way to interleave processes between the two, is it better to leave separate and discrete, or is this already a solved problem? AI/machine learning: we can have all the data we want, it means nothing if we can’t sift through and find patterns – and most “”AI”” you hear of is just statistical analysis, which is what we need to find said patterns.
Motivation:
The professor I work under suggested I apply for the position, and I had nothing to lose by applying.
Lightning Talk Title: Current Research Project, and Algorithms If Possible