Department of Computer Science Aarhus University Department of Comptuer Science Faculty of Science

String Algorithms Q4/2012

Announcements

About

String algorithms (i.e. algorithms and data structures for analysis and indexing of strings) are an important aspect of many computer science disciplines, such as data-compression, cryptography, speech- and image-recognition, and computational biology. Furthermore, string algorithms is an interesting theoretical field in itself, with many fascinating problems and elegant solutions.

This class gives an introduction to string algorithms. The class presents concrete techniques and string-algorithms and their implementation and analysis: exact and approximate pattern-matching; string distance calculations; repetition and periodicity search; construction and applications of suffix-trees and suffix-arrays.

Schedule

Lectures take place:

First lecture is on Thursday, March 29 in Room 1110.214.

Check the weekly schedule for information about each lecture.

Literature

We will use the following book, which will be available in the GAD bookstore:

Bill Smyth
Computing Patterns in Strings
Addison Wesley, 2003
ISBN: 0201398397

Additional research papers will be handed out in class or made available for download (if allowed accoring to CopyDan rules).

Exam and projects

Each student must participate in all mandatory projects. Currently three projects are planned. The projects can be done in groups of 2-3 students.

The final exam is an individual oral exam (20 min) which includes a presentation/discussion of topic covered in class and a presentation/discussion related to one of the mandatory projects. The presentation/discussion should take 12-13 minutes. See the list of exam questions for details.

The exam date is Thursday, June 14, 2012. The exam will take place in Room 1111-100 (ground floor in the BiRC building) according this preliminary exam schedule. You have to pass all mandatory projects in order to qualify for the exam.

Lecturer

If you have any comments or questions related to the course, do not hesitate to contact:

Thomas Mailund

Office: 1110.326
Phone: +45 8942 3125
E-mail: mailund [at] birc.au.dk

Christian Nørgaard Storm Pedersen

Office: 1110.325
Phone: +45 8942 3121
E-mail: cstorm [at] birc.au.dk