This section will focus on the design, implementation, and security of computer systems. Topics may include systems security, software vulnerabilities, operating systems, distributed systems, and the ethical conduct of research.
Week | Day | Date | Topic | Paper Milestone |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tue | Aug 27 | Introduction [slides] | Intro Survey |
Pair Presentations | ||||
2 | Tue | Sept 3 | Open-Source Software [Wu and Lu 2021] | |
3 | Tue | Sept 10 | Passwords [Weir et al. 2010] | M0 - LaTeX Exercise |
4 | Tue | Sept 17 | Facial Recognition [Sharif et al. 2016] | |
5 | Tue | Sept 24 | Permissions [Reardon et al. 2019] | M1 - Topic Proposal |
6 | Tue | Oct 1 | Spectre [Kocher et al. 2019] | |
7 | Tue | Oct 8 | AI Code Assistants [Pearce et al. 2022] | M2 - Bibliography |
8 | Tue | Oct 15 | Fall Break | |
Individual Presentations | ||||
9 | Tue | Oct 22 | TBD | M3 - Annotitated Bib |
10 | Tue | Oct 29 | TBD | |
11 | Tue | Nov 5 | TBD | M4 - Intro + Outline |
12 | Tue | Nov 12 | TBD | |
13 | Tue | Nov 19 | Peer Reviews | M5 - Full Paper Draft |
14 | Tue | Nov 26 | TBD | |
15 | Mon | Dec 3 | TBD | M6 - Final Paper |
16 | Wed | Dec 11 | Final Paper Presentations |
Throughout this semester, you will read 12 assigned research papers. To help you engage with these readings and prepare for class discussions, I will ask you to submit a reading reflection each week. The format of the reflection is up to you---it can be written essay, a powerpoint slide dec, a video, or an audio recording---but it must include the following:
How to read a research paper. When you read a research paper, your goal is to understand the scientific contributions the authors are making. This is not easy, despite the deceptively short appearance of most published computer science papers, and it may require going over the paper several times. Expect to spend multiple hours to read a paper.
Here are some general guidelines for how to read a research paper (adapted from Michael Mitzenmacher's advice on how to read a research paper):
During the first half of the semester, each of you will present a research paper with an assigned partner. This presentation should be approximately 30 minutes and will be followed by a discussion. Your paper, presentation date, and partner will be assigned during the first week of class after you complete the intro survey.
During the second half of the semester, each of you will give a solo presentation on a research paper of your choice selected from the bibliography for your final 190 paper. This presentation should be approximately 15-20 minutes and will be followed by a brief discussion.
For your each presentation you must:
Your presentation will be evaluated on the following concepts:
See the final paper page for details about the final paper milestones and requirements.