About
UBC Computer Science’s 50th Anniversary celebrations will highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of department members, alumni and distinguished guests, and engage the broader community in thinking critically about the opportunities and challenges that computing presents in the next 50 years. The celebration will take place on May 11 and 12, 2018 with panels on AI and the future of computer science, as well as more technically focused state-of-the art research symposia.
The two-day event will culminate with a dinner and awards ceremony, with special guests including: Professor Santa J. Ono, UBC's President and Vice-Chancellor; UBC alumnus Dr. David Cheriton; and Canada 150 Research Chair in Computer Systems and Cheriton Family Chair in UBC Computer Science, Dr. Margo Seltzer.
Computer Science 50th Anniversary Celebration
Friday, May 11, 2018
Data Science Research Mini-Symposium
Location: Hugh Dempster Pavilion - Room 310, UBC (map)
Networking and Coffee: 12:30pm
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Cost: Free
Register to be added to the wait list
More Details >
Opening Ceremony, Networking, & Cocktail Reception
Keynote Talk: AI Advances and Aspirations
Keynote Speaker: Eric Horvitz, Technical Fellow and Managing Director, Microsoft Research
Moderator: Alan Mackworth, Computer Science, UBC
Panelists:- Eric Horvitz, Microsoft Research
- Gail Murphy, UBC VP Research and Innovation
- Kevin Murphy, Research Scientist, Google
- Mark Schmidt, Computer Science, UBC
- Kirsten Sutton, Managing Director, SAP Vancouver
Location: Vancouver Convention Centre EAST, Meeting Rooms 1-3 (2nd Floor), at 999 Canada Place (map | location info)
Time: 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
- 5:00 pm Check-in
- 5:30 pm Start of Formal Program
- 7:20 pm Networking and Cocktail Reception
Registration for this session closes Wed. May 9th 5pm
More Details >
Saturday, May 12, 2018
State-of-the-Art Symposia
- Computer Graphics Symposium
- Computer Systems Symposium
- Designing for People: Human Computer Interaction Symposium
Three parallel sessions with 4-6 speakers each
Location: Hugh Dempster Pavilion, UBC (map)
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: Free
Exhibitor Hall
Location: Earth Sciences Building Atrium, UBC (map)
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Cost: Free
Networking Lunch
Location: Earth Sciences Building Atrium, UBC (map)
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Cost: $15
Current UBC CS Faculty, Staff, and Students: Free
Registration for this session closes Mon. May 7th 5pm
Computer Science++: Toward the Next 50!
Special Remarks by David Cheriton & Margo Seltzer
Moderator: Simon Peacock, Dean of Science, UBC
Panelists:- Ghislaine Chan, Broadridge Financial
- David Cheriton, Stanford University
- Yvonne Coady, University of Victoria
- James Colliander, Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
- Anamaria Crisan, University of British Columbia
- Mik Kersten, Tasktop
- Margo Seltzer, Harvard University/University of British Columbia
- Chris Thachuk, California Institute of Technology
- Ryan Wong, Visier
Location: Earth Sciences Building 1013, UBC (map)
Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Cost: Free
More Details >
Computer Science 50th Anniversary Dinner & Awards
Location: Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, UBC (map)
Time: 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
- 5:30 pm Cocktail Reception
- 6:30 pm Dinner & Awards
Dress Code: Business Casual
Cost: $60 Sold Out
Registration for this session closes Mon. May 7th 5pm
More Details >
Registration is closed
Working Together to Shape Tomorrow
We're excited to celebrate our 50-year milestone! It comes at a time of great opportunity for our department. Our strong commitment to excellence and inclusion has been central to our identity, and will continue to guide us in the exciting times ahead.
Professor Chen Greif, Head of Department of Computer Science
Join Us in Celebrating One of Canada’s Strongest CS Departments
This is an exciting time for UBC Computer Science, especially in light of recent growth, new program development, significant opportunities in the field, and deepening connections with the mathematical, biological, health and social sciences. Our department is also excited to welcome Professor Margo Seltzer, a leading computer systems researcher from Harvard University, who will join UBC in September 2018 as the Canada 150 Research Chair in Computer Systems and the Cheriton Family Chair in Computer Science.
Our 50th anniversary presents a unique opportunity to celebrate our successes, and strengthen connections with our alumni, partner educational institutions, and the local tech community. It’s also a key opportunity to better position the department for the opportunities and challenges that computer science will bring in the next 50 years. Celebrations for the 50th will continue for the next year through a series of branded alumni, industry and student events.
Speakers
Opening Ceremony, Networking, & Cocktail Reception More details >
Keynote Speaker: Eric Horvitz
Technical Fellow and Managing Director, Microsoft Research
Talk: AI Advances and Aspirations
AI Changes Everything Panel More details >
Moderator: Alan Mackworth, Computer Science, UBC
Panelists
Eric Horvitz
Microsoft ResearchGail Murphy
UBC VP Research and InnovationKevin Murphy
Research Scientist, GoogleMark Schmidt PhD'10
Computer Science, UBCKirsten Sutton
Managing Director, SAP VancouverData Science Research Mini-Symposium More Details >
Raj Chari BSc'01, BSc'04, PhD'10
Frederick National Lab for Cancer ResearchTalk: Emerging opportunities for large scale data analysis in eukaryotic genome engineering
more >
Heidi Lam BSc'93, PhD'08
GoogleTalk: Building tools to support analysis
more >
Sohrab Shah MSc'05, PhD'09
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentreTalk: Genomics, computing and the route to predictive and personalized cancer treatment
more >
Computer Graphics Symposium More Details >
Christopher Batty PhD'10
Assistant Professor, University of WaterlooFelix Heide PhD'16
PDF StanfordDoug James MSc'97 PhD'01
Professor, Stanford UniversityPaul Kry MSc'00 PhD'05
Associate Professor, McGill UniversityGene Lee PhD'01
Senior Software Engineer, Walt Disney Animation StudiosDavid Levin PhD'12
Assistant Professor, University of TorontoKevin Loken MSc'07
Electronic ArtsKangKang Yin PhD'07
Associate Professor, Simon Fraser UniversityComputer Systems Symposium More details >
David Cheriton BSc'73
Stanford UniversitySteve Gribble BSc'95
GoogleMonica Lam BSc'80
Stanford UniversityTalk: Almond: Keeping the Internet Open with an Open-Source Virtual Assistant
more >
Margo Seltzer
Harvard University, incoming Canada 150 Research Chair and Cheriton Family Chair in UBC Computer SciencePeter Smith PhD'98
ACLTalk: Thanks for the Research. Can We Use It Sooner?
more >
Designing for People: Human Computer Interaction Symposium More details >
Leah Findlater MSc'04, PhD'09
University of WashingtonBrian Gleeson PDF'13
AppleKori Inkpen PhD'97
Microsoft ResearchRock Leung PhD'11
SamsungBarry Po MSc'02, PhD'05
NGRAINBrad Swerdfeger MSc'10
ShopifyMelanie Tory BSc'99, PDF'06
Tableau ResearchComputer Science++: Toward the Next 50! More details >
Special Remarks by David Cheriton & Margo Seltzer
Moderator: Simon Peacock, Dean of Science, UBC
Panelists
Ghislaine Chan BSc'00
Broadridge FinancialDavid Cheriton BSc'73
Stanford UniversityYvonne Coady PhD'03
University of VictoriaJames Colliander
Pacific Institute for the Mathematical SciencesAnamaria Crisan
PhD Student, Computer Science, UBCMik Kersten BSc'99, PhD'07
TasktopMargo Seltzer
Harvard University/UBCChris Thachuk PhD'13
California Institute of TechnologyRyan Wong BSc'94
VisierComputer Science 50th Anniversary Dinner & Awards More details >
Special remarks by, UBC President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Santa J. Ono
Hosted by Gail Murphy, UBC VP Research & Innovation
Simon Peacock
Dean of Science, UBCChen Greif
Head of Department of Computer Science, UBCLegacy
2018: Honouring Our Legacy and Our Founders
As a highlight of the celebrations, Professor Charlotte Froese Fischer and Professor Richard Rosenberg will receive the UBC Computer Science Founders Award for their enduring contributions to the department.
More details for the Anniversary Dinner and Awards >
Charlotte Froese Fischer
With two UBC degrees and a PhD from Cambridge University, Froese Fischer served on the UBC Mathematics faculty from 1957 until 1968, when she introduced numerical analysis courses into the curriculum and was instrumental in the formation of the Department of Computer Science. Her many honours include the first Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, and induction as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. She returned to UBC Computer Science in 2016 as an affiliate professor, and continues her research in computational atomic physics.
Richard Rosenberg
Richard was recruited into the newly created department in 1968 after completing his Ph.D. at Michigan on Evolutionary Computing. He has played a pivotal role in developing the department and the Artificial Intelligence group. His later work focused on the implications of the internet for such important civil liberties areas as privacy and anonymity, free speech, access, and ethics. He developed national and international privacy and ethics policies, particularly for electronic media, in Canada, the United States, and Europe, as well as national and international approaches to the regulation of free speech on the Internet. As such, his work has been critical to promoting and protecting privacy rights. These issues often create ethical dilemmas for computer scientists so he developed methodologies for teaching ethics and professional standards to computer science students and approaches to dealing with these dilemmas as they arise in the workplace, educational institutions, and at home. He has also been honoured with the BC Civil Liberties Association Lifetime Achievement Award and the IBM Pioneers of Canadian Computing Award.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
50th Anniversary Dinner Sponsor
Cocktail Receptions Sponsor
Wine Sponsor
If interested in learning more about sponsorship please contact:
Sandra Hunt
sandra.hunt @ ubc.ca
604-822-3444
Frequently Asked Questions
- I have signed up for an event and need to cancel. Who do I contact?
Please send an email to cs-fifty@cs.ubc.ca to cancel your registration. - Do I get a refund of my registration if I cancel?
If you need to cancel your registration please contact cs-fifty@cs.ubc.ca. There is a no-refund policy. - I plan to bring a guest to these events, what should I do?
For logistical purposes, we require everyone to register on the webpage, including any guests. - What options do I have for on campus accommodation?
- UBC Conferences and Accommodation (a variety of suites ranging from hotel style, studio, 1 Bedrooms and Dorm rooms): suitesatubc.com
- St John's College offers a hotel style room with some meals offered during the week
- Carey Centre, a theological college on campus, also has 1 BR/ Studios and Twin rooms available
- Cecil Green College offers, standard and premium guest houses
- What options do I have for travelling to UBC?
- Translink Bus services: Check information on arriving on campus by transit and getting transit tickets on the transit website.
- Taxis: Local Taxis are available by phone; Yellow Cab can be reached at 604-861-1111.
- Where can I get directions?
There are various directional stations on campus. Maps are available online. - What is the local weather like?
Check current conditions. - What options for I have for food outlets and their hours of operation:
On-campus: See the Food Services website "Places to Eat".
Off-campus such as UBC Village, Point Grey Village, and Wesbrook village offer an array of restaurants and food outlets. - On Campus Activities:
UBC Recreation and UBC's top attractions.
UBC Computer Science 50th Anniversary
Celebrate 50 Years of Excellence in Research, Learning, and Innovation
2018-2019