Senior Research
Hala ElAarag


All computer science and computer information systems students are required to complete senior projects consisting of original research in an area of computer science of their choice, under the close supervision of a faculty adviser.
In Senior Research I (CS/CIS 498) students develop a statement of the problem to be studied, the method to be used, and research the background information needed to solve the problem. At the end of the semester, they give an oral presentation and submit a written proposal of their research. In Senior Research II (CS/CIS 499) students complete the resaerch begun in CS498. They present their results and submit a written final paper.
Each year a professor is selected to be the coordinator of senior research. At the beginning of the fall semester of your senior year, you have to contact different professors and discuss with them their research ideas and/or projects to help you choose a research topic. If you have an interest in a specific idea of your own, you need to take a professor's approval before you pursue it. After that you need to inform the coordinator about your research advisor/topic


My Research Interest

My research interest includes but is not limited to network performance, Internet protocols, wireless networks, network simulation, computer graphics, operating systems, parallel and distributed systems and computer architecture.
For a list of my publications, visit my website

Some Research Ideas of interest to me



My Previous/Current Senior Research Advisees

  • Jared Jennings (2002/2003), Robust Distributed Web Servers with Automatic File Replication. Final Paper.
  • Robert Hartford (2002/2003), Web based System for Sched uling and Communication. Final paper
  • John Russell (2003/2004), Implementation and Performance Evaluation of a TC P-Based Multicasting Protocol in a Real-World Environment Proposal Final Paper
  • Chris Friesen (2003/2004), Simulation of Handoff in Wireless Wi-Fi Networks Proposal Final Paper
  • Colin Branch (2003/2004), Real Time Rendering of Expensive Small Environmen ts Proposal Final Paper
  • Andrew Moedinger (summer 2004), An Evaluation and Improvement of the Intern et Friendly Transport Protocol, Summer Undergraduate Research (SURE).
  • Laura Schindler (2005/2006): Web-based Education: A Speech Recognition and Synthesis Tool Proposal
  • Jake Cobb(2005/2006): Using neural Networks for a Web Proxy Cache Replacem ent Proposal Final Paper
  • Lorenzo Campanelli (2005/2006): Developing a PHP-based Legacy Application Grid System Proposal Final Paper
  • Derek Alexander (summer 2006): Exploiting Parallelism in the Cell Broadband Engine, Summer Undergraduate Research (SURE).
  • Sam Romano (summer 2007): A Quantitative Study of Web Cache Replacement St rategies, Summer Undergraduate Research (SURE).
  • Sam Romano (2007-2008): A Neural Network Cache Replacement Implementation in the Squid Cache Proposal pa per
  • Chris Hogg (2007-2008): Simulation of Graph Layout Algorithms for Sensor Net works. Proposal Paper
  • Sean Salmon (2008):Stream Location Aware Cooperation in Bittorrent Networks to Minimize Delay and Jitter in Video-on-Demand Systems Proposal


SURE Advisees

  • Andrew Moedinger (summer 2004), An Evaluation and Improvement of the Intern et Friendly Transport Protocol

  • Derek Alexander (summer 2006): Exploiting Parallelism in the Cell Broadband Engine

  • Sam Romano (summer 2007): A Quantitative Study of Web Cache Replacement St rategies

    Publications with Students

    • ElAarag H. and Romano S., "Improvement of the Neural Network Proxy Cache Rep lacement Strategy" 12th Communication and Networking Symposium (CNS.09), Spring Simulation Multiconference, San Diego, CA, March 22-27, 2009

    • Salmon S. and ElAarag H., "SLAAP: Stream Location-Aware Alliance Partitionin g in BitTorrent Networks FOR Video-On-Demand Systems", 6th Annual IEEE Consumer Communications & Networking Conference, IEEE CCNC 2009, 10 - 13 January 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada

    • ElAarag H., Moedinger A., Hogg C., "TCP Friendl y Protocols for Media Streams over Heterogeneous Wired-Wireless Networks", Compu ter Communications, Elsevier Publishing, Vol 31/10 pp 2242-2256. Abstract Paper

    • Cobb W. and ElAarag H., "Web Proxy Cache Repla cement Scheme Based on Back Propagation Neural Network", Journal of Systems and Software, Elsevier publishing (2007) Abstract

    • Romano S. and ElAarag H., "A Quantitative Study of Recency and Frequency bas ed Web Cache Replacement Strategies", 11th Communication and Networking Symposiu m (CNS.08), Spring Simulation Multiconference, Ottawa, Canada, April 14-17, 2008 .

    • ElAarag H. and Hogg C., "Enhancement of IFTP for Transmission over Wireless Access Networks", IEEE Southeast Conference 2007, Richmond, VA, March 22-25, 200 7 Paper

    • Cobb W. and ElAarag H., "Training and Simulation of Neural Networks for Web Proxy Cache Replacement", 2006 International Symposium on Performance Evaluatio n of Computer and Telecommunications Systems (SPECTS 2006), July 31-August 2, 20 Paper

    • ElAarag H. and Cobb W., "A Framework for Using Neural Networks for Web Proxy Cache Replacement", Communication and Networking Simulation Symposium (CNS2006), Spring Simulation Multiconference, Huntsville, Alabama, April 2-6 2006, pp. 389-396 Paper

    • ElAarag H. and Schindler L., "A Speech Recognition and Synthesis Tool", 44th ACM Southeast Conference, Melbourne, Florida, USA, March, 10-12, 2006. Paper

    • ElAarag H. and Jennings J. "HashNAT: A Distributed Packet Rewriting System Using Adaptive Hash Functions", 6th ACIS International Conference on Software En gineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking, and Parallel/Distributed Computi ng, Maryland, U.S.A, May 23-25, 2005, pp. 127-1326. Abstract Paper

    • ElAarag H. and Moedinger A., "Performance Evaluation of an Internet Friendl y Transport Protocol over Networks with Lossy Links", Applied Telecommunication Symposium, Spring Simulation Multiconference, San Diego, California, April 2-8 2 005 Paper

    • ElAarag H. and Moedinger A., "IFTP-W: A TCP-Friendly Protocol for Multimed ia Applications over Wireless Networks", 43rd ACM Southeast Conference, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia, Vol 2, pp.36-40, March 18-20, 2005 Paper

    • Branch C. and ElAarag H., "Real Time Rendering of Expensive Small Environmen ts", 2004 International Conference on Imaging Science, Systems, and Technology ( CISST'04), June 21-24, Las Vegas, Nevada Abstract

    • ElAarag H. and Hartford R. " Web-Based Systems for Communication and Schedul ing", IEEE Professional Communication Conference, pp. 201-208, Orlando, FL, Sept 2003. Abstract Paper


      Published Students Papers under My Supervision:

      • Russell J., "Implementation and Performance Evaluation of a TCP-Based Multic asting Protocol in a Real-World Environment", 18th National Conference on Underg raduate Research, NCUR 2004, Indiana University- Purdue University, Indianapolis , April 14-17, 2004.

      • Friesen C., "Simulation of Handoff in Wireless Wi-Fi Networks", 18th Nationa l Conference on Undergraduate Research, NCUR 2004, Indiana University- Purdue Un iversity, Indianapolis, April 14-1, 2004.

      • Lopez J., "Ethics in Computer Multi Player Gaming", 2004 North American Comp uting and Philosophy Conference CAP 2004, Carnegie Mellon, August 4-6



      Posters on the Hill

      "For a Healthier Internet: A TCP-Friendly Protocol for Multimedia Applications over Wireless Networks" , The Eleventh Annual Undergraduate Research Poster Session on Capitol Hill organized by Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), Rayburn House Office Building, Washington D. C., April 25, 2007.

      Where to get good references

    • IEEE Explore The IEEE Digital library
    • PORTAL The ACM Digital Library
    • NSDL The Narional Science Digial Library
    • Stetson's University Library including on-line catalog
    • Google

      Template for Proposal/Paper

      Template Please download and ask me if you have any questions

      References where you can get help with writing

      Presentation

      Final Notes