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| Sara Kalvala specializes in formal methods and computational biology. After obtaining a BSc in Biology from the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil, she did a conversion master’s degree at the University of Hyderabad, India, and then received a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Davis, where she studied theorem-proving methodologies for hardware verification. She then came to the University of Cambridge, UK to continue looking at theorem proving and diverse logic-based formal methods. She explored variant logics such as linear logic and temporal logic and their role in formal verification, and was also involved in the development and documentation of the HOL and Isabelle proof systems. From hardware, she moved on to look at software verification, particularly the issue of compiler verification and the correctness of optimizations that are embedded in most modern compilers. After moving to the University of Warwick, UK as a faculty member, and reflecting on the increasing role of computer modeling in biology, she began working in computational biology. She is especially interested in understanding how individual cells or microorganisms communicate and coordinate with each other to give rise to emergent behavior and complex structures such as tissues and biofilms. Bringing together her two main interests, she is currently applying compilation techniques in biology under the exciting new umbrella of synthetic biology, where a computational view is applied in making genetic engineering methodologies more robust and effective. She is now involved in several British interdisciplinary consortia working on synthetic biology. As a faculty member, Sara has also been very interested in how to make computer science education more exciting and accessible. How to teach programming to beginners is an important concern, and the increasing societal relevance of computer games and interactive gadgets may play an important role in teaching, as well as the public understanding of, computing as a scientific discipline. |
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1 - 10 of 27
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Clean Python: elegant coding in Python Kapil S., Apress, New York, NY, 2019. 284 pp. Type: Book (978-1-484248-77-5)
Every beginning programmer needs a friend to look over their shoulder at their screen and give advice on how to code better. This book attempts to be such a friend. The book is full of advice of the kind, “do this, don...
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Jan 2 2020 |
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Mathematical grammar of biology Yamagishi M., Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, New York, NY, 2017. 82 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319626-88-8), Reviews: (2 of 2)
It is common knowledge that the code of life is represented by strings consisting of four letters (A, T, C, and G), and the names of Watson and Crick are often referenced to represent the scientific efforts that made understanding the ...
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Jul 13 2018 |
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Don Knuth: The analysis of algorithms Don Knuth. YouTube, 01:02:33, published on Jan 30, 2017, stanfordonline, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmcSzzN1gkc. Type: Video
Don Knuth needs no introduction. Computer science labs around the world are decorated with posters of Professor Knuth, and many academics have on their bookshelves at least the first volume of The art of computer programming [1]...
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May 8 2018 |
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Object-orientation, abstraction, and data structures using Scala (2nd ed.) Lewis M., Lacher L., Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 2017. 660 pp. Type: Book (978-1-498732-16-1)
The topic of language choice for teaching programming often results in enthusiastic (sometimes irate) discussion. While Java, Python, and JavaScript are the most often championed choices, others such as Eiffel, Haskell, and, for our pu...
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Nov 27 2017 |
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Scientific peer reviewing: practical hints and best practices Spyns P., Vidal M., Springer International Publishing, New York, NY, 2015. 57 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319250-83-0)
Peer reviewing is something we often learn by experience, though recently there has been an effort by many doctoral programs to provide guidance. This slim and straightforward volume may well help, by giving hints and suggestions....
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Oct 5 2016 |
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Advances in Physarum machines: sensing and computing with slime mould Adamatzky A., Springer International Publishing, New York, NY, 2016. 839 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319266-61-9), Reviews: (1 of 2)
Ever since I was given an old plastic lunchbox containing a sample Physarum culture, I have been fascinated by this biological system. I had been about to teach schoolkids about computing and was hoping to motivate them with pat...
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Jun 7 2016 |
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Computational musicology in Hindustani music Chakraborty S., Mazzola G., Tewari S., Patra M., Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, New York, NY, 2014. 107 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319114-71-2)
That mathematics generally underscores most forms of music is not a new concept; what is interesting is the possibility that a precise mathematical structure can be proposed as a computationally tractable foundation for several quite d...
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Feb 25 2016 |
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Processing: a programming handbook for visual designers and artists (2nd ed.) Reas C., Fry B., The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2014. 720 pp. Type: Book (978-0-262028-28-8)
As a computer science (CS) instructor, one of the teaching practices that most irks me is the teaching of programming languages via lectures using PowerPoint or PDF overheads. Even without moving completely to the practice of ̶...
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Jul 16 2015 |
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Practical LaTeX Grätzer G., Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, Cham, Switzerland, 2014. 216 pp. Type: Book (978-3-319064-24-6)
I will first acknowledge what any reader will surely conclude after reading this review: I am a pedantic and grumpy academic. What other reason could there be for my dismay when faced with a student report or essay that has not been ty...
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Dec 24 2014 |
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Approaches in integrative bioinformatics: towards the virtual cell Chen M., Hofestädt R., Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, New York, NY, 2014. 350 pp. Type: Book (978-3-642412-80-6)
Computational biology is a thriving discipline with an ever-increasing body of so-called “-omics” data to be explored. However, as highlighted by the editors in the first chapter of this book, there is also a pletho...
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Sep 9 2014 |
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