On February 11th, 2022, the Computer Science Society (CSS) hosted their annual Snowball event that brings together students, staff, and faculty members from the Faculty of Computer Science to recognize fellow peers’ achievements.

The ceremony began with three keynote speakers, Professor Eric Poitras, Professor Srini Sampalli, and Dr. Raghav Sampangi.

Eric Poitras emphasized the importance of lifelong learning to optimize time spent practicing skills given three constraints - effort, motivation, and resources. 

Dr. Srini Sampalli presented a keynote speech titled "The Art of Research", where he talked about the importance of research even at the undergraduate level in a rapidly evolving field like Computer Science. He presented a step-by-step approach to the research process, the key ingredients required for research, and some simple tips for students interested in pursuing research.

Dr. Raghav Sampangi shared some lessons he learned about intentional and actionable steps towards well-being. He highlighted the need to look within to learn about our experiences on the mental health continuum and taking intentional steps towards advocating for our welfare.

Following the keynote speakers, the Dean, Andrew Rau-Chaplin congratulated the 2022 Snowball Award winners. “Despite another unusual and challenging year, students have demonstrated their dedication and resilience, going above and beyond to not only perform academically but make the Faculty and university a better place for everyone,” Says Rau-Chaplin. 

The Faculty of Computer Science recognized 18 individuals who have excelled in our community during the past year. We are proud to call them our own. 

2022 Award Winners 

• Leadership Award: Darshana Upadhyay
• Citizenship Award: Brent Crane and Zaaheda Islam
• Ada Byron Award: Bridget Solomon
• Dr. Arthur Sedgwick Award: Joel Richards
• Dr. Morven Gentleman Award: Erin Schultz
• Bruce and Dorothy Rossetti Scholarship Gold Award: Gobind Singh, Himel Nath, Afwina Athira
• Bruce and Dorothy Rossetti Scholarship Silver Award: Zhengjie Zhou, Nhi Ly, Francois LeVert
• Bruce and Dorothy Rossetti Scholarship Bronze Award: Minh Nguyen, Ted Graveson, Nethra Balakumar
• The Srini Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Raghav Sampangi 
  The Staff Appreciation Award: Austin Zhang
• The Best TA Award: Baorui Jia

Congratulations to all of our award winners!