i++ School Newsletter

Week commencing 20 July 2009

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SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING PRIZES 2008-09

For photos from the prize giving ceremony held after Graduation, click here.

FIRST YEAR PRIZES

Four K. F. Bowden Memorial Prizes, in memory of a former professor, are awarded to first year undergraduate students.  These prizes are awarded on the recommendation of the First Year Examinations Committee to the four first year students with the best overall year mark.  Each prize is worth £250.

The prize winners;

Adriana ALEXANDRU, BEng Computer Networks

Samuel ROBERTS, BSc Computer Games

Mitchell SHERIDAN, BSc Computer Science

Samuel PHELPS, BSc Computer Science

The O’Reilly Academic Prize is awarded to the first year student who achieves the best overall average mark on one of the single honours degree courses in either the Computer Science or Computer Systems Engineering theme.    The prize-winner will receive an O’Reilly book voucher worth £100.

The prize winner;

Michael ANSLOW, BEng Computer Networks

SECOND YEAR PRIZES

Four K. F. Bowden Memorial Prizes are awarded to second year undergraduate students with the best overall year mark.  Each prize is worth £250.

The prize winners;

Alistair BAILEY, BEng Electronic Engineering

Xi YANG, BEng Telecommunications Engineering

Martin MATHEW, BEng Electronic Engineering

Gabrielle LONGHURST, BSc Computer Science

The Frank Thilo Prize is awarded to the best second year BSc student on the following schemes on the basis of academic achievement:  BSc Computer Science, BSc Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), BSc Computer Science (Software Engineering), BSc Computer Science (Embedded Systems and Robotics), BSc Computer Science (Internet Technology).  The prize-winner will receive a cheque for £125 and a BCS student annual membership voucher.

The prize winner;

Ruiyuan ZHOU, BSc Computer Science (SE)

Institute of Engineering and Technology Anglian Coastal Network Prize for achieving the highest overall merit order on a BEng degree programme.  The prize winner will receive a cheque for £150.

The prize winner;

Oliver BOUSTEAD, BEng Computer Games and IT

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers UK&RI Communications Chapter Prize of £100 will be awarded to the student achieving the highest aggregate mark of First Class standard on one of the following degree programmes: BEng Audio Engineering; BEng Computers and Telecommunications; BEng Electronic Engineering; BEng Optoelectronics and Communication Systems; BEng Telecommunication Engineering.

The prize winner;

Xing Zhao YAN, BEng Telecommunications Engineering 

SECOND/FINAL YEAR PRIZE

The Devdas Korappath Gopal Prize, in memory of a former student, is awarded for outstanding performance on the BSc Computer Science (Software Engineering) degree. It is open to both second and final year students.  The prize of £100 will be awarded to the second or final year Software Engineering student with the best overall year mark.

The prize winner;

Alan BROWN, BSc Computer Science (SE) (Year 2)

FINAL YEAR PRIZES

The Active Web Solutions Prize, worth £250, is awarded to the student achieving the highest mark for the final year BSc project.

The prize winner;

Sean ANDERSON, BSc Computer Science

The Wind River Systems Prize, worth £250, is awarded to the BSc Computer Science (Embedded Systems and Robotics) final year student who obtains the highest degree mark.

The prize winner;

Gavin CARPENTER, BSc Computer Science (ESR)

The Computing and Electronic Systems Prize, worth £250, is awarded to the final year BSc student who achieves the highest degree mark.

The prize winner;

William CHUNG, BSc Computer Science

The Institute of Engineering and Technology Prize, worth £250, is awarded to the final year BEng student who achieves the highest degree mark. 

The prize winners;

Dean PEPPER, BEng Computers and Networks

Alex HARRIS, BEng Computer and Network Security

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers UK&RI Communications Chapter Prize, worth £100, is awarded to the student achieving the highest individual project mark on one of the following BEng degree programmes: BEng Computers and Telecommunications; BEng Optoelectronics and Communication Systems; BEng Telecommunication Engineering.

The prize winner;

McDonald MASEDI, BEng Telecommunications Engineering

BT Project Prize, worth £250, is awarded to the student achieving the highest individual project mark on one of the following degree programmes: BEng Audio Engineering; BEng Computer and Network Security; BEng Computer Games and Internet Technology; BEng Computer Engineering; BEng Computers and Networks; BEng Electronic Engineering; BEng Networks and Internet Technology.

The prize winner;

Daniel LEAR, BEng Computers and Networks

The Telecom Technologies Prize, donated by Telecom Technologies Limited, is awarded by the Board of Examiners to the undergraduate student achieving the highest aggregate mark on the Telecommunication Systems module (EE308-6-AU).  The value of the prize is £150.

The prize winner;

Adam JONES, BEng Electronic Engineering

The BT Project Presentation Prize – First Place, worth £125, is awarded for the best BEng final year project presentation.

Awarded to;

Shahreen AHMED, BEng Telecommunication Engineering

The BT Project Presentation Prize – Second Place, awarded to;

Scott DAVIE, BEng Computer and Network Security

The BT Project Presentation Prize – Third Place, awarded to;

Mario Castelao, BEng Computer and Network Security

Students awarded MBCS on Graduation

Nine CSEE students were recently awarded Membership of the British Computer Society (MBCS) via a new accelerated application process. Seven students received their membership certificates from BCS representatives at the CSEE Graduation Reception last week. Those gaining awards were: Craig Anderson, Jonathan Barry, Gavin Carpenter, Ben Demes, Ian Pack, Kshitija Rane, Sean Sanderson, James Underwood and Philip Williams.

The new process allows students who are about to graduate to apply early for full membership which is awarded on the successful completion of their degrees. This is a significant saving in time as normally applicants would have to work for three years, in a suitable job, before being eligible to apply for full membership.

The BCS have found that many potential employers are increasingly looking for graduates who not only have a good degree in a relevant subject but they are also giving preferential treatment to those who already have a professional membership, e.g.: an MBCS. Having this membership illustrates a commitment to being a professional and may well make the difference of being invited for interview or rejected on a first application.

Full details of the scheme for eligible students who wish to consider this scheme for next year will be available in the CSEE student handbooks.

Report by Iain Langdon
BCS Liaison

From left to right; Peter Radford - BCS Essex Branch, Philip Williams, Sean Sanderson, Ben Demes, Neil Pellinacci - BCS Essex Branch, Maria Morgan - BCS HQ, Gavin Carpenter, Pet Thornton - BCS Essex Branch, James Underwood, Jonathan Barry and Craig Anderson.

PhD Awarded

Chun Sing Louis Tsui passed his viva, with minor corrections, on 17 July. His thesis title is "Adaptive Self-paced Brain-Actuated Control of Mobility Devices". He has developed a novel adaptive brain-computer interface (BCI) protocol, and implemented a state of the art online adaptive self-paced BCI system. He has published nine papers in BCI related international journals and conference proceedings.  

Louis is the first doctorate student on BCI to graduate from Essex. Many congratulations to him and best wishes for his future.

Chun Sing Louis Tsui and supervisor Dr John Gan demonstrate the BCI system to The Telegraph's Richard Grey in July of last year.