OMSCS Buzz

On this episode, host Tanmay Shah chats with Dinesh Ayyappan. Dinesh is an OMSCS student, soon to be graduate, with an incredibly interesting journey ranging from studying mechanical engineering in the East Coast to teaching computer science in the Himalayan foothills to planting new roots in Singapore. He’s been to 31 countries and nearly every US state. In this episode, we dive into his career, personal interests, and words of wisdom from all his experiences.   TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) – Cold intro  (1:14) - Episode intro  (2:10) - Background and early interests  (6:20) - Transition to teaching  (16:20) – Experience in Himalayas  (25:20) – Experience in Singapore  (29:55) – Philosophy of teaching  (34:02) – OMSCS journey  (42:17) – OMSCS Research – using LLMs in Education  (48:26) – Traveling Thoughts  LINKS- Dinesh's blog- www.dineshayyappan.com VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Serge Nino Martin Villasica 

We are excited to kick off the Fall 2024 semester with a brand new season of the OMSCS Buzz podcast! On this episode, host Tanmay Shah chats with Dr. Thad Starner. Dr. Starner is a professor at Georgia Tech and director of the Contextual Computing Group. He is a pioneer and prolific inventor in the fields of wearable computing and augmented reality with over 80 patents and 500 papers and presentations to his name. He’s the longest-serving Technical Lead on Google Glass and the recipient of numerous awards for his work on deaf education...among many other accolades. Tune in to hear about wearable computing, augmented reality, American Sign Language, and dolphins!  TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) – Cold intro  (0:33) – Episode Intro  (2:15) – Ph.D. Journey – Your Mentors  (7:10) – Wearable Computing and Augmented Reality  (22:50) – Google Glass  (29:00) – CS 7470 Course  (38:05) – Dolphin CHAT Research  (48:00) – American Sign Language Initiatives  (49:00) – Learning at Scale  (54:30) – Episode Closing  RESOURCES:  PopSign – American Sign Language Learning Initiative  CHAT work with Dolphins  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR- Nikita Burks-Hale

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Owen Sizemore. Owen is an Android Software Engineer at Wealthfront, an automated investment firm in Palo Alto, California. Owen grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, studying Computer Science with minors in Political Science and Spanish. He’s an OMSCS graduate but continues to stay involved in the program as an Instructional Associate.   TIMESTAMPS-  0:00 – Cold Intro  (0:30) - Episode Intro  (2:30) - Current work at Wealthfront   (5:05) - Mobile development   (7:25) - Advice for new college grads   (11:05) - OMSCS Journey  (19:18) - AI and Foreign Language  (23:43) - Advice for OMSCS Students and Alum  (33:40) - Closing  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Nikita Burks-Hale 

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Anthony Miyaguchi. Anthony is a current OMSCS student and software engineer at Planet Labs, an Earth observation analytics company. He’s done it all while at Georgia Tech, from winning awards in student showcases to submitting papers at major conferences, to studying abroad at Georgia Tech’s campus in France. Tune in to hear about his incredibly interesting professional journey!  TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) - Cold Open  (0:39) - Episode Intro  (2:06) - Undergrad experience in UCLA  (3:31) - Transition from hardware to data at Mozilla  (6:55) - Decision to graduate studies  (11:11) - Experience in Planet Labs  (21:36) - Data Science @ GT Club  (25:40) - Paper about Transfer Learning  (33:23) - Autobot VIP experience  (38:20) - OMSCS experience    (41:29) - Closing thoughts    Reach out to Anthony: acmiyaguchi@gatech.edu VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Serge Nino Martin Villasica   

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Dr. Carmine Guida. Dr. Guida is an alum of the OMSCS program and currently a Professor at Pace University where he created the Game Development major. He has had a variety of experiences throughout his career ranging from working in startups to academia. To connect with Dr. Guida on adjunct teaching opportunities or advice on pursuing a PhD, email him at cguida@pace.edu  TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) - Cold Open  (0:19) - Episode Intro  (1:40) - Academic Teaching Experience in Games and Development  (4:10) - Benefits of Learning Games and Development   (10:03) - Recent AI Trends in Games and Development  (15:32) - AR/VR and the Games and Development Field  (19:47) - Scholarly Research  (27:45) - Starting in Tech   (31:13) - Pursuing an OMSCS Degree  (39:30) - Advice for Pursuing a PhD  (46:45) - Closing Thoughts  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Nikita Burks-Hale 

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Hannah Moon. Hannah is Associate Director of External Engagement in the OMSCS program. Among her many other duties, she’s been an integral part of planning the annual OMSCS Conference which was held for the second time this past May. Please tune in to this special Staff Spotlight episode to hear about her career and personal journey!    TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) - Cold Open  (0:21) - Episode Intro  (1:40) - What do you do in your work?  (3:48) - New Partnerships and Initiatives   (7:13) - Most Exciting Aspects of Your Work  (9:40) - OMSCS Conference Planning Highlights  (13:40) - How Did You Start Your Career?  (20:05) - Study Abroad/Non-Profit Experience  (24:40) - The Importance of Studying Abroad  (27:40) - Final Call to Action  (28:43) - Conclusion    To connect with Hannah for partnership opportunities, email her at hmoon70@gatech.edu  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Nikita Burks-Hale 

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Dr. Nick Lytle, Associate Director of Research for Georgia Tech’s OMSCS program. Prior to his current role, Dr. Lytle has worked as a consultant, Data Scientist, and researcher. He holds a PhD in computer science and his personal mission is to make computing education more effective and accessible to all. Tune in for a conversation around the future of Computer Science, the importance of Research Collaboration for students with professors and the importance of ensuring that computing is accessible and universal for all. To connect with Dr. Nick Lytle email him at nlytle3@gatech.edu.  TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) - Cold Open  (2:07) - Fishstalkers Project  (5:05) - Departmental Research Collaboration Opportunities  (9:05) - Vertically Integrated Projects/Mentorship within OMSCS  (19:35) - New Potential OMSCS Research-Focused Projects  (23:55) - Securing Faculty/Student Research Collaborations  (29:55) - Personal Motivation and How Dr. Lytle Started in the Field  (39:15) - Future OMSCS Outlook  (42:00) - Conclusion  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Nikita Burks-Hale 

Dr. David Joyner, Executive Director of OMSCS at Georgia Tech, shares his journey from the College of Computing to the birth of OMSCS. Discussions include the importance of academia, the evolution of OMSCS from 2014 to 2024, future outlook, recommended reads, and opportunities for research assistants. Dr. Joyner highlights the value of interdisciplinary approaches and the impact of online education on global accessibility.

Dr. David Joyner, Executive Director of OMSCS, discusses Georgia Tech rankings, learning new skills, AI in teaching, and assessing in online education. Explore his journey, research, teaching challenges, and the future of OMSCS.

On this episode, Tanmay chats with Zoey Beda. Zoey is a TA for CS 6750: Human-Computer Interaction in OMSCS along with being a musician and developer. Tune in to hear about the intersection of mathematics, music, and computer science, and more!  TIMESTAMPS-  (0:00) - Intro  (13:35) - Journey as a musician  (24:32) - OMSCS Experience  (28:05) - After OMSCS  (30:05) - Favorite Books  (31:56) - Outro  VISIT https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback Form.  EDITOR – Serge Nino Martin Villasica