Dr. Ananda Gunawardena

Formerly: Associate teaching Professor of Computer Science
Department of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Av.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
I taught courses in pen-based computing, algorithms and imperative computing at CMU until 2013. I am working with several faculty on social learning tools based on aggregation of document and video hotspots. We are in the process of recoding our classroom salon application

• Patents

-- I am the principal inventor of the CMU based patent US Patent US10061756B2 titled "media annotation visualziation tools and techniques and an aggregate-behavior visualization system utilizing such tools and techniques" ( click the link to see patent)
-- I am also the principal inventor of the Princeton University based patent - Machine Assisted Segmentation n video collections. The work is based on novel machine learning algorithms for processing semantically related segements. This is a result of my work with students at Princeton University. The patent was awarded on June 2020
-- I am working on a new patent on identification of video segmentations based on semantic similarity. This will help us design new solutions for education and training. This will allow us to segment videos in an automated manner


• Teaching Interests:

I generally teach courses in Algorithms introduction to Pen Computing(CMU), Programming Systems, and was involved with principles of Imperative Programming (CMU). I am very interested in understanding the science of learning and have received funding from HP, NSF, Gates Foundation, Microsoft and Google




• Research Interests:

My early research interest was in computational linear algebra. I studied non-negative matrices and their applications to accelerating iterative methods. Since 1994, I have been involved in projects involving creating the next generation of electronic learning environments. My current research areas include application of machine learning and Human Computer Interaction in creating intelligent learning systems. I am also working on ink-based domain specific applications for tablet PC's. I am also deeply involved in Classroom Salon project an effort to create a usable and smart platform for group interactions around documents. It is really cool. Take a look. We have 20,000 user now


Here are links to some of my research projects
Pen Computing in Education
Classroom Salon
Adaptive Book Project


• Students Supervised

Julian Griggs - Automatic Summarization with Textual Annotations, Prinecton Thesis, 2015
• Mckervin Ceme - Determining Semantic Similarity through source-driven context, Princeton Thesis, 2016
• Brandon Lam - Explorting self-organizing learning groups in an online learning platform - Classroom Salon, 2014

I also did a lot of work with Pen-based computing at CMU click here


Some news to share

ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS
EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

• News: Can Social Networks Save failing students?



• EDUCATION: B.Sc (honors) (Math Special), M.S (Computer Science), Ph.D(Computational Mathematics)



• Recent Conferences
• Text Books I have Authored
• Interactive Linear Algebra with MapleV (English and Chinese Versions)
•  
• Linear Algebra - An Interactive Approach (with Matlab) - Published Date: January 2003


Commentary
• 

Notes on C and Unix



• Employment History
• Associate teaching Professor of Computer Science, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 1998 -
• Adjunct faculty in Computer Science, Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 2000 -
• Associate Professor/Assistant Professor, Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, University of Houston, Downtown, Houston, TX 1989-1997
• Chief Scientist, TextCentric Technologies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - 2002 -
• Chief Scientist, Laksoft Technologies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - 2001-2002

• Research Projects

Adaptive Book Project

Tablet Math Whiz

CLO Project

q

PRAGMA

Blue Map

Salon

• Teaching Interests

Pen Based Computing

Advanced Programming techniques

Mathematical Foundations of CS

Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms

System Skills in C and Unix

Programming Applications in Computational Finance

Computer Algorithms

Computational Linear Algebra

• Affiliations:
• Board of Directors - Classroom Salon 2014-
• Board of Directors - TextCentric, Inc, 2002-2007
• Advisory Board - SC-COSMIC
• Academic Advisory Committee - The University of Colombo School of Computing
• Board of Directors - Wireless Neighborhoods
• Founding Director - Proxcity
• Editorial Review Board - Journal of Information, Technology and Organizations
• Advisory Council Member, Pittsburgh CIO Forum
• KEYNOTE-PEN COMPUTING 2009



 
• My previous courses:
• CS 410  Computer Graphics
• CS 300 Analysis of Algorithms
• CS 415   Applied Linear Algebra
• CS 415   Software Engineering


• I am originally from Sri Lanka and now a proud American Here is a nice documentary about Sri Lanka on You Tube
  
• 
  

  My Life at Ananda College and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

• I played sports while I was at Ananda College Colombo and University of Colombo. I captained the Ananda College second fifteen rugby team and was a member of the first fifteen rugby team and first eleven hockey team. At University of Colombo, I captained the Field Hockey team that played in Division A club hockey. In addition to that I was awarded university of Colombo Colors in Rugger, Field Hockey, Athletics and Basketball. Click here to see some old pictures. Now I am a member of the Pittsburgh Steelstyx hockey club and regularly play tennis and basketball.

Life Lessons from Randy Pausch

• I was blessed to have known my colleague Randy Pausch. Everytime I am down on life, I listen to his "last lecture". when you think life is tough Click here to listen to Randy

My family:

• My wife Sriya Gunawardena is an Associate Professor of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a clinical Pediatric hematologist/Oncologist at Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh. We have two daughters Naomi and Naoka.

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Last updated March 10, 2016

Please send corrections to Ananda Gunawardena,  Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.