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Month: June 2011

CREATE Program Funding for Young Scientists and Engineers

On June 1, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced at Queen’s University that the Government of Canada will invest $29.6 million this year through the CREATE Program to help young scientists and engineers acquire the professional, leadership and entrepreneurial skills they need to make a successful transition into the workplace and keep Canada’s economy growing. Full Story here.

David Skillicorn comments: Education seen as protection from ‘radical’ sites

Researchers studying the online habits of terrorists, hate groups and young people are advocating calm in the face of a recently released RCMP report.

RCMP Sgt. Marc LaPorte said that al-Qaida groups, their Somali affiliates, al-Shabaab, and others are “actively recruiting” people in Ontario via the Internet.

The report, Youth Online and At Risk, warns parents that terrorist groups are using more diverse tools in their online recruiting campaigns, such as games, graphic visuals and music.

“If we look at the investigations that are associated with national security,” said LaPorte from RCMP headquarters in Toronto, “all the major ones have had links to these types of Internet interactions.”

David Skillicorn is a professor in the Queen’s University School of Computing who specializes in counterterrorism, fraud, radicalization, data mining and law enforcement.

He said that while the RCMP’s report is valid, the effect of radical content on the Internet “is pretty small across the board.”

“At some level, this report is unobjectionable. It’s entirely reasonable, good advice,” he said.

Full Story here:

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3170620

Very Successful Year for Undergraduate Recruitment

Dear all,

Yesterday was the deadline for Ontario high-school students to choose a university for September 2011. Students from the rest of Canada can still select an Ontario university past the deadline. As of today, the number of applicants who have accepted an offer of admission to the QSC is very encouraging indeed and, I am told, it is expected to rise. We are grateful to our colleagues in the Registrar’s Office and the Faculty of Arts and Science for their continued support of our recruiting efforts.

As we wrap up another successful recruiting season, I would like to express, on your behalf, my deep appreciation to all the volunteers who put their time and energy in promoting the School at the two Fall Previews, at the Ontario Universities Fair, at the three Open House events in December, March, and May, at the Spring Reunion, at the numerous lab tours, and at so many other occasions where they enthusiastically responded to the School’s call. It is so gratifying to work with such fantastic group of people.

Today, I would like to recognize those members of the School who participated in our telephone campaign this spring:

  • Margaret Lamb
  • Juergen Dingel
  • Doug Wightman
  • Wendy Powley
  • Bob Tennent
  • David Skillicorn
  • Janice Glasgow
  • Farhana Zulkernine
  • Nick Graham
  • Alan McLeod
  • Randy Ellis
  • David Rappaport
  • Mary McCollam
  • Dean Mckeown
  • Andrew Dickinson
  • Sacha Robinson

Thank you all and have a great summer.
Selim

CREATE grant awarded to the Queen’s School of Computing

Dear all,

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada announced yesterday the award of a CREATE grant to the Queen’s School of Computing. This funding is to establish a new QSC graduate program for the training of professionals at the Master’s and Doctoral levels in ultra large-scale software systems. Congratulations to Professor Jim Cordy (PI) and the entire software group for this momentous achievement, and best wishes for future successes.

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3150377

Selim Akl
Professor and Director
Queen’s School of Computing

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