DeVry NREUP - Summer 2006 (July - October)
Research in Probability and Networking

This summer, a group of exceptional students enrolled at DeVry University in North Brunswick, New Jersey, will use discrete probability, graph theory and computer modeling with Matlab to analyze two kinds of networks. One group will model an ad hoc (multihop) wireless network in which voice communications are relayed from a transmitter to a receiver through a series of intermediate wireless devices. Another group, will apply probability to understand features of Bittorrent filesharing networks (a.k.a. swarms). This basic website contains material relevant to the program: schedule, biographies, text references, sample scripts and other materials (lecture slides, etc.) Take a look below for what you may need.

• Participants:
  • Dov Chelst (Math/Science Faculty) - [e-mail]
  • Barry Batorsky (Communications Faculty) - [e-mail]
  • Pedro Ibarra (EET Student) - [e-mail]
  • Elga Ginsberg (EET Student) - [e-mail]
  • Ian Mitchell (EET Student) - [e-mail]
  • Dennis Scottbey (EET Student) - [e-mail]
  • Samuel Taylor (EET Student) - [e-mail]
• Photos:
  • Students attending the first week's tutorial (left-to-right: Ian, Dennis, Elga, George and Samuel) [JPG]
  • Ian and Dennis becoming acquainted with Matlab [JPG]
• Schedule:
• Tutorials (first two weeks 7/3-7/14) PRINT OUT THIS FORM!!
• Probability Review & Supplement: [Basic Slides]
• Graph Theory Tutorial: Connectivity & Routing Issues:
• BitTorrent Analysis (P2P in General): [Basic Slides]
• Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking & Percolation:
• Semester Long Part-Time (15 hour per week)
  • Research Projects: Individually or In Teams
  • Weekly Meeting: Tuesday 9-11am (Room 123)
  • Weekly Progress Reports!!
• References:
  • Primary Texts:
    • Lectures on Contemporary Probability by Gregory Lawler and Lester Coyle
    • Matlab Guide- This book by Desmond and Nicholas Higham is well-written and a pleasure to read. It's a little more advanced in its mathematical examples than others, but doesn't presume previous knowledge of Matlab.
  • Additional Texts:
  • Matlab Resources:
    • Matlab's Documentation: Additional Text ReferencesThis is a comprehensive set of documents detailing Matlab (but not the toolboxes). I'd recommend looking at the Getting Started subsection first.
    • MATLAB: An Introduction with Application: This book by Gilat is aimed at engineers. I have not used it in the past, but have seen others who have incorporated it into Calculus courses.
    • A Matlab Toolbox For Working With Graphs [MatlabBGL]
  • BitTorrent Resources
  • Mobile Ad Hoc Networking Resources
• Sample Scripts:
  • Scripts from the Tutorials. These are not optimized to run efficiently.
    • Binomial Limits - Stirling's Formula, etc. - [script m-file]
    • Simple Random Walk - 1D & 2D - [script m-file]
    • Gambler's Ruin Illustration - [script m-file]
    • Ehrenfest's Urn - [script m-file]
    • Modified (Absorbing) Urn Problem - [script m-file]
    • Random Graph - Each Edge Is Equally Likely - [script m-file]
    • Geometric Graphs - Nodes Connect If "Close Geographically" - [script m-file]
    • Geometric Graphs #2- Modified to use MatlabBGL - [script m-file]
    • Card Example - Finding the First Complete Suit in a Deck of Cards - [script m-file]
  • More experimental scripts

Supported by:
The National Science Foundation (NSF)
The National Security Agency (NSA)
Moody's Foundation