Tag: computing > Queen's School of Computing

Queen’s Hosts CIAA and DCFS 2026

From August 5–11, researchers and practitioners from academia and industry gathered at Queen’s University for CIAA 2026 and DCFS 2026.

Hosted by the Queen’s School of Computing and organized in part by our very own Dr. Salimur Choudhury and Queen’s School of Computing alumnus (PhD’21) Dr. Taylor Smith., these conferences brought together the international automata community to explore research spanning automata theory, algorithms, verification, natural language processing, quantum computing, bioinformatics, pattern matching, and more.

CIAA 2026 featured three distinguished invited speakers:

Nataša Jonoska, University of South Florida
“Traversing Crystals by Automata”

Anthony Bonato, Toronto Metropolitan University
“Burning, Cooling, and Liminal Burning Graphs”

Ian Mertz, Charles University
“Computing with a Full Hard Drive”

The conference also featured the prestigious Sheng Yu Award, research and tool-track presentations, and proceedings published in Springer’s Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

Dr. Kai Salomaa receiving a personal book.

Dr. Kai Salomaa was also honoured for his several decades of contributions to CIAA and to the theory, implementation, and application of automata and related structures. As a special thanks, Salomaa was gifted with a personal book titled, “From Possibility to Reality”.

CIAA 2026 was held alongside DCFS 2026, continuing a week of international research and collaboration in theoretical computer science here in Kingston.

DCFS 2026 featured three distinguished invited speakers:

Michael Blondin, Université de Sherbrooke
“The Power and Limits of Population Protocols”

Michaël Cadilhac, DePaul University
“Formal Language Theory and Transformers”

Sandra Zilles, University of Regina
“Representing Concepts with Small Teaching Sets”

Thank you to all the researchers, speakers, organizers, and participants who made CIAA and DCFS 2026 a success!

For more information on CIAA 2026

For more information on DCFS 2026

Ahmed Hassan to Speak at Inaugural ACM AI Leadership Summit

Queen’s School of Computing professor and Mustafa Prize Laureate, Ahmed Hassan has been announced as a speaker at the inaugural ACM AI Leadership Summit, taking place from August 30 to September 2, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Summit will bring together leading researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and educators to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of artificial intelligence. His expertise in agentic software engineering will contribute to conversations about the rapidly evolving capabilities and applications of AI.

Congratulations to Ahmed on this exciting recognition and opportunity to represent Queen’s School of Computing on the global AI stage!

Learn more about the ACM AI Leadership Summit: https://aisummit.acm.org/

New AI Literacy Courses Open to All Undergraduate Students

Curious about AI but not sure where to start? This fall, the School of Computing is offering a series of introductory AI courses designed for undergraduate students from all faculties and programs. Whether you’re studying Arts, Science, Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, or anywhere in between, these courses will help you understand how AI works and how to use it effectively in your studies and future career (no programming experience required).

New and Returning Courses for Fall 2026

ARIN 100 – Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
Learn the foundations of modern AI, how today’s AI systems work, and how to use them effectively and responsibly. Explore the history of AI, ethical considerations, and the growing impact of AI across education, industry, and everyday life.

Learn More

ARIN 101 – Artificial Intelligence in Society
Discover how AI is shaping society through social media, business, law, and public life. Topics include generative AI, bias and fairness, ethics, public perceptions, and the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the future.

Learn More

ARIN 121 – Algorithmic Problem Solving with Artificial Intelligence
Develop computational thinking skills by learning how to solve problems using Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI tools. You’ll learn how to break down complex problems, design effective prompts, and apply practical problem-solving techniques—all without needing prior coding experience.

Learn More

These courses combine practical, hands-on learning with an accessible introduction to AI concepts, helping you build valuable skills that are increasingly relevant across every discipline.

Course Information

Course Codes: ARIN 100, ARIN 101, ARIN 121
Units: 3.0
Prerequisites: None
Who Can Take Them: Undergraduate students from any faculty or program
Programming Experience Required: No

Whether you’re looking to better understand AI, strengthen your digital literacy, or prepare for an AI-enabled workplace, these courses provide an excellent place to start.

We hope you’ll consider adding one of these courses to your Fall 2026 schedule. For further information or to discuss integration opportunities within your programs, please feel free to contact the School of Computing at advising@cs.queensu.ca

For more information on the differences between each course, please refer to the chart below:

	ARIN 100	ARIN 101	ARIN 121
Main Topics	History of AI How AI works, explained for a non-technical audience. Ethical issues and concerns. Guest lecturers explaining AI’s effect on specific fields.	Current social controversies around AI, including data centers, surveillance, AI art, and autonomous weapons. Some topics can be chosen by the class.	Computational thinking and problem solving. Working with LLMs and generative AI. Designing effective prompts and workflows. Introduction to coding concepts using AI.
AI Use?	Learning to use AI is not the primary focus, and personal use of AI is not mandatory, but plenty of advice will be given about effective, thoughtful, and ethical use.	This course is not about personal use of AI, but about understanding broader social changes and thinking critically.	AI is used throughout the course as a practical tool for solving problems and developing simple programs. Students learn how to use it effectively and responsibly.
Assessment	Tests and final exam, with a combination of factual questions and open-ended questions designed to allow imagination and reflection.	Tests with both factual questions and open-ended reflection questions, as well as a participation mark for technology-mediated class discussion.	Tests focused on computational thinking and problem solving. Hands-on assignments and practical exercises using AI.
Prerequisites	Not currently required for any other course.	Required for ARIN 201 and 210.	Not currently required for any other course.

Student Spotlight: Grace Odunuga

When Grace Odunuga arrived at Queen’s University, she set out to make an impact both inside and outside the classroom. As a Bachelor of Computing student specializing in Computer Science and Security, she combined academic excellence with a passion for leadership, equity, and community building.

Grace’s passion for improving the experiences of Black students in computing has shaped much of her work at Queen’s. In 2022, she founded the Black Computing Student Society (now known as Queen’s Black Tech), for Black students in Computing, Engineering, and other STEM programs. Through social events, networking opportunities, mentorship, and initiatives such as Black Student Coding Hours, the group has created a supportive community where Black students can thrive in Computing. Today, she sits as the Finance Director for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and is the Equity Director for Queen’s Computing Student Association (COMPSA).

Her advocacy also extends into research. Grace is currently completing an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) project examining the Black student experience at Queen’s University. This work builds on an earlier research assistantship with Professor Katherine McKittrick, Canada Research Chair in Black Studies, and her interdisciplinary honours thesis jointly supervised by Professor McKittrick and Professor Erin Meger in Computing. Through this research, Grace has explored how Black students navigate computing education and how institutions can foster spaces where Black students have strong opportunities to succeed in academia.

Beyond her work in equity and research, Grace has made significant contributions across the Queen’s community. She served as a Residence Don for four years, supporting more than 250 students through mentorship, programming, and student support initiatives. As an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant in the School of Computing, she helped students succeed in courses including Data Structures & Algorithms and Discrete Mathematics, sharing her enthusiasm for learning with the next generation of computing students.

Whether conducting research, mentoring students, leading organizations, or advocating for inclusion, Grace has consistently worked to make Queen’s a more welcoming and supportive place for others. Her leadership has helped strengthen the School of Computing community and has created lasting opportunities for Black students to succeed and feel a sense of belonging.

As she graduates, Grace leaves a legacy of service and community building that will continue to shape Queen’s Computing for years to come.

Celebrating the Queen’s Computing Class of 2026

Today we celebrated the Queen’s Computing Class of 2026 at our Convocation Reception and Awards Ceremony!

The event was an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, family, and friends to come together and celebrate the achievements of our graduating class. We are incredibly proud of everything our graduates have accomplished and grateful to have been part of their journey.

We also recognized several students for their outstanding achievements in academics, research, leadership, teaching, and service to the School. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients!

Staff Distinguished Service Award – Robin Tippett
The purpose of the Award is to recognize a School of Computing staff member for outstanding service to the School.

Ian A. Macleod Award – Georgia Reed
Purpose: Established by friends, colleagues, and students in memory of Professor Ian A. Macleod, who was a member of School of Computing from its inception in 1969 until 1995. The award is granted to the graduate student who made the greatest contribution to the intellectual and social spirit of the School of Computing during the preceding academic year.

Research Award – Amoon Jamzad
Purpose: The purpose of the Award is to recognize outstanding research contributions made by a School of Computing postdoctoral fellow or other researcher affiliated with the School.

PhD Research Achievement Award – Paul Wilson
Purpose: The purpose of the Award is to recognize a PhD student who achieved significant research results: quantity and quality of publications, patents, and commercial products.

MSc Distinguished Thesis Award – Mateus Karvat Camara
Purpose: The School of Computing distinguishes a few MSc theses every year as exemplary. The designation reflects the research quality and writeup. Each year one of these is selected as the Distinguished MSc Thesis.

Howard Stavely Teaching Award – Erin Meger
Purpose: Howard Staveley started working at Queen’s University in 1966. He became an adjunct instructor for the department in 1982 and continued teaching until the winter term of 1996. He also held the position of Manager of Information Systems in Computing Services from 1982 until 1996. Howard passed away in 1996 at the age of 52, in the midst of a successful career. He has been sorely missed by his many friends at Queen’s. In 1997 an annual teaching award was created in his memory.

Teaching Assistant Award – Mark Nistor (received by Bella Xu on his behalf)
Teaching Assistant Award Runner Up – Amanda Shum
Purpose: The purpose of the award is to recognize excellence in teaching assistance (a.k.a. The Best TA) in an undergraduate course at the School of Computing.

QSC Convocation, Reception, and Awards Schedule

Join us in celebrating our 2026 graduating class!

The School of Computing is hosting our reception and awards ceremony in the Commons (Goodwin Hall, 230) from 11:00am to 1:00pm on June 24th. Enjoy refreshments and use the QSC photobooth for commemorative pictures.

We will also be hosting our very own awards ceremony to recognize our nominated winners of the following awards:

PHD Research Achievement Award
Distinguished Student Award
School of Computing Research Award
Excellence in Teaching Award (TA)
Howard Stavely Teaching Award
Ian A. Macleod Award, Distinguished
MS Thesis Award
Distinguished Service Award

We look forward to coming together as a community to celebrate the notable achievements of our graduates.

Can’t make it in person? Watch live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzoZYQLdfYA

Queen’s University Convocation will take place on June 24th, at 3:00pm at Slush Puppy Place. Graduates are encouraged to arrive two hours before, at 1:00pm.

View full convocation details here.

School of Computing and Smith Business Research Exchange: Al in Action

Today our School of Computing participated in a joint research event, AI in Action, bringing together colleagues from our Faculty and the Smith School of Business.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we diagnose disease, understand consumers, optimize operations, and even power autonomous systems in the physical world. AI in Action brings together leading researchers from computing and business to explore how AI moves from technical innovation to meaningful societal and organizational outcomes.

Through diverse perspectives, our four speakers showcased the full spectrum of AI, from algorithms to applications, highlighting the power of interdisciplinary research in shaping the future of decision-making across industries.

Speakers Included:

From Smith School of Business:

Ceren Kolsarici – Associate Professor of Marketing and Director of the Scotiabank Centre for Analytics & AI. Her research focuses on AI and analytics in marketing, including digital advertising, media strategy, and consumer insights.

Murray Lei – Associate Professor of Management Analytics. His work develops real-time, data-driven solutions for pricing and revenue management, with applications in e-commerce and service platforms.

From the School of Computing:

Ahmed E. Hassan – Professor and internationally recognized leader in AI for software engineering. His work has shaped the integration of AI into software development practices worldwide.

Ting Hu – Associate Professor specializing in evolutionary learning and machine learning for biomedical data, with a focus on building robust and interpretable AI systems.

Thanks to all who attended!

Ceren Kolsarici – Associate Professor of Marketing and Director of the Scotiabank Centre for Analytics & AI.

Ting Hu – Associate Professor specializing in evolutionary learning and machine learning for biomedical data, with a focus on building robust and interpretable AI systems.

Murray Lei – Associate Professor of Management Analytics.

Ahmed E. Hassan – Professor and internationally recognized leader in AI for software engineering.

Dr. Rebecca Hisey awarded Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grant

Congratulations to Dr. Rebecca Hisey, Term Adjunct, School of Computing, for being one of five recipients of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grants. Inaugural grant recipients are recognized for their commitment to course innovation and values-driven teaching practices. This grant recognizes the innovative work that Rebecca is doing in our CISC 472 – Health AI: 2D and 3D Image Analysis course.

CISC 472 – Health AI: 2D and 3D Image Analysis

A hands-on learning activity will be developed within the broader redesign of CISC 472 that will prioritize the ability for students to apply modern AI concepts to real clinical and clinical-training problems. The learning activity will be designed to give students hands-on experience with full AI workflows, including model selection, training, evaluation, and integration into a complete software system. Students will work with realistic datasets and common AI frameworks to tackle real-world challenges in the field of medical computing.

Read more about the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Grant 2026 recipients here: https://www.queensu.ca/gazette/stories/five-courses-awarded-principal-s-teaching-and-learning-grants

Molly Higginson Memorial Award Recipient

Join us for an uplifting afternoon, celebrating the achievements of mature women students at Queen’s!

We are pleased to share that Hebatalla Ouda, who is currently enrolled as a PhD student in the School of Computing, has been selected to receive the Molly Higginson Memorial Award in recognition of her achievements as a mature woman student.

Hebatalla will be formally honoured at the Ban Righ Centre’s annual Spring Celebration on May 2nd from 2:00–4:00 p.m. in Grant Hall (doors open at 1:30 p.m.). Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to attend.

To help us plan seating, we kindly ask that faculty and staff confirm their attendance by replying to this email (or by contacting taylor.cenac@queensu.ca), particularly if they wish to be seated with or near the student.

We look forward to celebrating together.

With appreciation,
Taylor
on behalf of the Ban Righ Centre Team

QSC Welcomes Dr. Rongxing Lu

The School of Computing is delighted to welcome Dr. Rongxing Lu, who joined our faculty team as a full professor.

Dr. Lu brings a remarkable background in Cybersecurity and teaching excellence. Dr. Lu is a current IEEE Fellow and IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, Mastercard IoT Research Chair, and Acting Director of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity.

Before joining School of Computing, Dr. Lu was a professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, University of New Brunswick, where he received the Excellence in Teaching Award for the 23-24, as well as the 2016-17 academic years. His groundbreaking research centers on privacy-enhancing techniques, IoT–Big Data security, and applied cryptography, reflecting a commitment to safeguarding information in our interconnected world.

We look forward to Dr. Lu’s leadership and innovative spirit as he joins our vibrant academic community.