Student Achievements
Clare Bates Congdon
Bowdoin College Department of Computer Science

National Recognitions

• Sam McFarland, Highlighted Poster and Student Travel Award
  NIH 5th Biennial National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, June 2014
  Poster Title: “Genome Pattern Scan: A Computational Tool for Locating Candidate Transcription Factor Binding Sites Throughout the Human Genome”
• Jeff Thompson, Honorable Mention, Computing Research Association Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher, 2013
• David Gagne, Honorable Mention, Computing Research Association Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher, 2012

International Competitions (AI and Games)

• Slawomir Bojarski won the Learning Track at the 2010 Mario AI Championship at the IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence in Games in Copenhagen in August 2010.
  Some examples of Slawomir's agent in action
  
• Slawomir Bojarski won the Gameplay Track at the 2010 Mario AI Championship at the IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence in Games in Copenhagen in August 2010.
  
• Casey Rosenthal placed fourth in the 2010 2K BotPrize at the IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence in Games in Copenhagen in August 2010 (with a bot judged to be 17.8% humanlike).
  
• Ryan Small won the Unreal Tournament competition at the Congress on Evolutionary Computation in Norway in May 2009.
  
• Alan Fitzgerald and Peter Kemeraitis won the WCCI 2008 Ms. PacMan competition in Hong Kong in 2008.

Regional Meetings, Best-Poster Awards

• Kyle Kilgour: “A Rule-Based Agent for Infinite Mario”
  Best poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2010
• Skyler Place: “Visual Expectations: Using Machine Learning to Identify Patterns in Psychological Data”
  Best poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2004
• Chris Sotzing: The Effect of Genetic Algorithms on the Maze-Solving Efficiency of a Simulated Robot
  Best poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2003
• Marc Attiyeh and Skyler Place: From Genes to Queens: A ’Crafty’ Approach to Genetically evolve a Chess Engine
  2nd place poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2003
• Doug Casazza, A Complex Systems Model of Competition for Resources in a Simple Society
  2nd place poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2002
• Peter Aykroyd, Growing Artificial Societies
  2nd place poster award, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2000

Student Presentations at International Research Conferences - Peer Reviewed
Events in this section are for regular researchers, not student tracks.
That's right. All of these students were presenting at events intended for PhDs.

• Poster: Craig Lessard, "Computational identification and biological validation of FOXJ1 regulatory regions in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus", Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology, Dublin, Ireland, July 2015
• Poster: Craig Lessard, “A Workflow for the Computational Identification of Candidate Regulatory Elements in Noncoding DNA”, ACM Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Conference, Newport Beach, CA, September, 2014
  
• Talk: Jeff Thompson, “GAMI-CRM: Using de novo motif inference to detect cis-regulatory modules”, CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Beijing, China, July 2014
• Poster: Jeff Thompson, “Initial Results in Using de Novo Motif Inference to Detect Cis-Regulatory Modules” ACM Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Conference, Atlanta, GA, September, 2013
• Talk: David Gagne, “FRIGHT: A flexible rule-based intelligent ghost team for Ms. Pac-Man”, CIG, the IEEE conference on Computational Intelligence and Games, Grenada, Spain, September 2012
• Talk: Casey Rosenthal, “Personality profiles for generating believable bot behaviors”, CIG, the IEEE conference on Computational Intelligence and Games, Grenada, Spain, September 2012
• Talk: Jeff Thompson,“GAMID: Using Genetic Algorithms for the Inference of DNA Motifs That Are Represented in Only a Subset of Sequences of Interest”, CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Brisbane, Australia, June 2012
• Talk: David Gagne, “Preliminary results for GAMMI: Genetic algorithms for motif-module inference” CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Brisbane, Australia, June 2012
• Poster: Jeff Thompson,“Using Genetic Algorithms for the Inference of DNA Motifs That Are Represented in Only a Subset of Sequences of Interest”, PSB, the Pacific Symposium on Biocomputation, January 2012
• Poster: David Gagne, “A Genetic Algorithms Approach to the Inference of Cis-Regulatory Modules”, BIBM, the IEEE Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine, Atlanta, GA, November 2011
• Poster: Jeff Thompson, “Using Genetic Algorithms for the Inference of Motifs That Are Represented In Only a Subset of Sequences of Interest”, BIBM, the IEEE Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine, Atlanta, GA, November 2011
• Poster: Slawomir Bojarski, “REALM: A Rule-Based Evolutionary Computation Agent that Learns toPlay Mario”, CIG, the IEEE conference on Computational Intelligence and Games, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2010
• Talk: Ryan Small “Agent Smith: An Evolutionary Agent for Interactive Dynamic Games”, CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Trondheim, Norway, May 2009
• Talk: Alan Fitzgerald “RAMP: A Rule-Based Agent for Ms. Pac-Man”; Winner of the 2008 Ms. Pac-Man Competition WCCI, the IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence, Hong Kong, June 2008.
• Talk: Chris Sotzing: “GENCEM: A Genetic Algorithms Approach to Coordinated Autonomous Multi-Robot Exploration and Mapping”, CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Edinburgh, UK, September 2005.
• Talk: David Cohen, “EA-lect: An Evolutionary Algorithm for Constructing Logical Rules to Predict Election into Cooperstown”, CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Portland, OR, June 2004.
• Poster: David Cohen, “Using SAT scores as Predictors for Future Academic Success” CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Portland, OR, June 2004.
• Talk: Ray Mazza, "Towards a Genetic Algorithms Approach to Designing 3D Polygonal Tree Models", CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, Honolulu, HI, May 2002.

Student Presentations at International Research Conferences - Student Track
Presentations in this section are for student tracks at the associated conference

• Poster: Sam McFarland, “Genome Pattern Scan: A Computational Tool for Locating Candidate Transcription Factor Binding Sites Throughout the Human Genome”, highlighted poster (award), NISBRE, the NIH National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, Washington DC, June, 2014
• Poster: Craig Lessard, “Computational Inference of Candidate Regulatory Elements for Tektin3” NISBRE, the NIH National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, Washington DC, June, 2014
• Jeff Thompson, “A Preliminary Study of Genes Associated with Increased Cancer Survival Time” NISBRE, the NIH National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence, Washington DC, June, 2014
• Talk: Jeffrey Thompson, “Trade-offs using GAMID for the inference of DNA motifs that are represented in only a subset of sequences of interest”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Philadelphia, PA, July 2012
• Talk: David Gagne, “GAMIV: a genetic algorithm for identifying variable-length motifs in noncoding DNA”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Philadelphia, PA, July 2012
• Poster: Jeff Thompson, “An Alternate Approach to Motif Inference Using GAMI” CEC, the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation, New Orleans, LA, June 2011
• Talk: Johnicholas Hines: “Towards Rogue-Soar: Combining Soar, Curses and Micropather”, Soar Workshop, Ann Arbor, MI, May 2010
• Talk: Kate Tyrol: “A Cognitive Science Model of Playing Ms. Pac-Man”, Soar Workshop, Ann Arbor, MI, May 2010
• Talk: Ryan Small “Agent Smith: a Real-Time Game-Playing Agent for Interactive Dynamic Games”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Atlanta, GA, July 2008
• Talk: Rachel Teo and Junes Thete “GAMI: Genetic Algorithms for Motif Inference”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Atlanta, GA, July 2008
• Talk: Thomas Cook: “GAUGUIN: Generating Art Using Genetic Algorithms and User Input Naturally”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, London, UK, July 2007
• Talk: Michael Wolk: “GAINS: Genetic Algorithms for Increasing Net Sales of a Mobile Reverse Demand Communication System”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, London, UK, July 2007
• Talk: Noah Smith: “RCS: A Learning Classifier System for Evolutionary Robotics”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Washington, DC, July 2005
• Talk: Charles Fizer and Noah Smith: “MIND: Motif Inference for Non-coding DNA”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Washington, DC, July 2005
• Talk: Noah Smith: “Evolving a Vision-Based Predator-and-Prey System for Two Robots with a Learning Classifier System”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Seattle, WA, July 2004
• Talk: Chris Sotzing: “A Genetic Algorithms Approach to Learning Communication and Coordination in Simulated Robots”, GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Seattle, WA, July 2004

Student Presentations at Regional Research Conferences

• Talk: Craig Lessard, “Computational identification and biological validation of FOXJ1 regulatory regions in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus“, Maine Biological and Biomedical Sciences Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, April 2015
• Talk: Jeff Thompson, “Using de novo motif inference to detect cis-regulatory modules” Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, April, 2014
• Poster: Craig Lessard, “Computational inference of candidate regulatory elements in the blastula cell stage of Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus” Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, April, 2014
• Poster: Sam McFarland, “GenomeScan: A computational tool for identifying DNA motifs in large genetic sequences” Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, April, 2014
• Poster: Jeff Thompson, “Using a Model of Conserved Core Regions to Identify Candidate Regulatory Elements in Noncoding DNA”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Sam McFarland, “A Workflow for the Computational Identification of Candidate Regulatory Elements in Noncoding DNA”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Craig Lessard, “Computational Inference of Candidate Regulatory Elements in the Noncoding DNA of the Purple Sea Urchin Genome”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Theresa Hoyt, “A Computational Investigation of Candidate Regulatory Elements in the Human Noncoding Regions of Genes Co-Expressed in Gonad Development in C. Serpentina Sexual Dimorphism”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Peter E. Hanlon, “A Computational Search for Candidate Regulatory Elements for DNA-damage-inducible transcript 4”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Gretchen Walch, “An Investigation Into Candidate Regulatory Elements for the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Gene Using a Bioinformatics Approach”, NERIC, the NorthEast Regional IDeA Conference, Newark, DE, August 2013
• Poster: Peter E. Hanlon, “A Computational Search for Candidate Regulatory Elements for DNA-damage-inducible transcript 4”, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory Student Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, July 2013
• Poster: Theresa Hoyt, “A Computational Investigation of Candidate Regulatory Elements in the Noncoding Regions of Co-Expressed Genes”, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory Student Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, July 2013
• Poster: Craig Lessard, “Computational Inference of Candidate Regulatory Elements in the Noncoding DNA of the Purple Sea Urchin Genome”, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory Student Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, July 2013
• Poster: Jeffrey Thompson and Sam McFarland, “A Workflow for the Computational Identification of Candidate Regulatory Elements in Noncoding DNA”, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory Student Symposium, Salisbury Cove, ME, July 2013
• Poster: Kyle Kilgour: “A Rule-Based Agent for Infinite Mario” (best poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2010
• Poster: Kate Tyrol: “A Cognitive Science Model of Playing Ms. Pac-Man”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, April 2010
• Poster: Noah Smith: “RCS: A Learning Classifier System for Robotics”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2005.
• Poster: Andreea Olea and Jesse Wrenn “Can Neural Networks Learn To Compute Cross Products?”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2005.
• Poster: Jesse Wrenn: “A Complex Adaptive Systems Approach to Researching Behavioral Trends”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2005.
• Poster: Rachel Noiseux, “Designing and Implementing a User-Focused Web-Based Database System”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Schenectady, NY, April 2005.
• Poster: Skyler Place, “Visual Expectations: Using Machine Learning to Identify Patterns in Psychological Data” (best poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Schenectady, NY, April 2005.
• Poster: Chris Sotzing, “Improving Multi-Robot Area Mapping Abilities Using Genetic Algorithms”, CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Schenectady, NY, April 2005.
• Talk: Marc Attiyeh and Skyler Place, "From Genes to Queens: A ’Crafty’ Approach to Genetically evolve a Chess Engine", GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Chicago, IL, July 2003
• Talk: Adam Birt and Samuel Shaw, "Evolving Boids: Incorporating Machine Learning into Artifical Life", GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Chicago, IL, July 2003
• Talk: Kevin Septor and Jon Nickerson, "Gaphyl: Using Genetic Algorithms to Infer Phylogenetic Trees", GECCO, the ACM Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference Undergraduate Workshop, Chicago, IL, July 2003
• Poster: Katelyn Mann, "Evolving Robot Behavior to Play Hide and Seek", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Kevin Radloff, "Building a Virtual World with Text: The Coolest MUD Ever", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Marc Attiyeh and Skyler Place, "From Genes to Queens: A ’Crafty’ Approach to Genetically evolve a Chess Engine" (2nd place poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Adam Birt and Samuel Shaw, "Evolving Boids: Incorporating Machine Learning into Artifical Life", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Jay Combs and Kevin Septor, "Neural Networks: A Study in Digit Pattern Classification", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Evan McGee and Kristoffer Lee, "Finding the Noise in Relativistic Particle Physics Using AutoClass", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Chris Sotzing, "The Effect of Genetic Algorithms on the Maze-Solving Efficiency of a Simulated Robot" (best poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Providence, RI, April 2003.
• Poster: Doug Casazza, "A Complex Systems Model of Competition for Resources in a Simple Society" (2nd place poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Worcester, MA, April 2002.
• Poster: Peter Aykroyd, "Growing Artificial Societies" (2nd place poster award), CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Mahwah, NJ, April 2000.
• Poster: Chris Ireland, "Robot Navigation and Machine Learning", CCSCNE, the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, NorthEastern region, Mahwah, NJ, April 2000.

Maintained by: Clare Bates Congdon (congdon@bowdoin.edu)