Neerja Mhaskar, PhD, P.Eng Assistant Professor Department of Computing and Software Room: ITB 220 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8 Canada Email: pophlin AT mcmaster DOT ca

Research Interest

My research focuses on algorithms and data structures. In particular, I am interested in

• algorithms on strings for pattern matching
• algorithms for designing a secure network
• analyzing patterns in big data
• developing tools and data structures for data compression, and information retrieval

Positions Available

About Me

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computing and Software, McMaster University. Prior to this role, I was a post doctoral fellow/visiting researcher working with Professors Ridha Khedri and Bill Smyth, and a sessional faculty in the same department. I completed my PhD in Computer Science in August 2016, from McMaster University under the supervision of Professor Michael Soltys. I have a Master's degree in Engineering Science from Louisiana State University, USA, and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, India.

When I am not working I am with my two kids and family.

Current Graduate Students

1. Hamed Hasibi, PhD Computer Science (co-supervised with Dr. Smyth and Dr. Golding)
2. Nivetha Raj Pappuraj, PhD Computer Science
3. Amin Kashef, MSc Computer Science
4. Chenge Liu, MSc Computer Science
5. Meng Wang, MEng Computer Science
6. Zehong (Bryan) Wong, MEng Computer Science
7. Tieyun (Nick) Zhang, MEng Computer Science
8. Shutong Wu, MEng Computer Science
9. Samkith Kishore Kumar Jain, MSc Computer Science
10. Viktor Melnyk, PhD Computer Science (withdrawn in good standing)

Graduated Students

1. Hossein Dehghani, MSc Computer Science (at RAD(Robotic Assistance Devices))
2. Holly Koponen, MSc Computer Science (co-supervised with Dr. Smyth) (PhD Student at McMaster University)

Teaching

Below are the courses I taught/am teaching.

1. Data Structures and Algorithms (Comp Sci 2C03) - Winter 2021, Fall 2021, 2023.
2. Computing Patterns in Strings (CAS 722) - Winter 2020, Fall 2021, 2022, 2023.
3. Computer Science Practice and Experience: Operating Systems (Comp Sci 3SH3) - Winter 2017, 2018, 2022.
4. Operating Systems (SFWRENG 3SH3) - Winter 2023, 2024.

Research

Refereed Journal Papers:

1. Mohammed Alabbad, Neerja Mhaskar and Ridha Khedri, Hardening of Network Segmentation using Autonomous Referential Penetration Testing, Journal of Network and Computer Applications, Volume 224, Article 103851, 2024.
2. Mohammed Alabbad, Neerja Mhaskar and Ridha Khedri, Two Formal Design Solutions for the Generalization of Network Segmentation, Journal of Network and Computer Applications, Volume 222, Article 103763, 2024.
3. Brian. G. Golding, Holly Koponen, Neerja Mhaskar, and W. F. Smyth, Computing Maximal Covers for Protein Sequences, Journal of Computational Biology, 30(2):149--160, 2023.
4. Neerja Mhaskar and W. F. Smyth, String Covering: A Survey, Fundamenta Informaticae, 190(1):17–45, 2022.
5. Neerja Mhaskar, Mohammed Alabbad and Ridha Khedri, A Formal Approach to Network Segmentation, Computers & Security, Volume 103, Article 102162, 2021.
6. Felipe A. Louza, Neerja Mhaskar and W. F. Smyth A New Approach to Regular & Indeterminate Strings, Theoretical Computer Science, 854:105–115, 2021.
7. Jacqueline W. Daykin, Neerja Mhaskar , and W. F. Smyth, Computation of the Suffix Array, Burrows- Wheeler Transform and FM-Index in V-Order, Theoretical Computer Science, 880:82–96, 2021.
8. Hideo Bannai, Shunsuke Inenaga and Neerja Mhaskar, Longest Previous Overlapping Factor Array and its Applications, Information Processing Letters, Volume 168, Article 106097, 2021.
9. Michael Soltys and Neerja Mhaskar, Formal Framework for Stringology, Journal of Discrete Applied Mathematics, 274: 141-151, 2020.
10. Neerja Mhaskar and Bill Smyth, String Covering with Optimal Covers, Journal of Discrete Algorithms, 51:26-38, 2018.
11. Neerja Mhaskar and Bill Smyth, Frequency Cover for Strings, Fundamenta Informaticae, 163(3): 275-289, 2018.
12. Neerja Mhaskar and Michael Soltys, String Shuffle: Circuits and Graphs, Journal of Discrete Algorithms, 31:120-128, 2015.

Refereed Conference Papers:

13. Jacqueline W. Daykin, Neerja Mhaskar, and W. F. Smyth, V-Words, Lyndon Words and Substring circ-UMFFs, International Conference on Combinatorial Optimization and Applications (COCOA), 471--484, 2023.
14. Holly Koponen, Neerja Mhaskar, and W. F. Smyth, Improved Practical Algorithms to Compute Maximal Covers, Proceedings of Prague Stringology Conference, 2023.
15. Holly Koponen, Neerja Mhaskar, and W. F. Smyth, An Overview of String Processing Applications to Data Analytics, Reconciling Data Analytics, Automation, Privacy, and Security: A Big Data Challenge (RDAAPS 2021), 1–8, 2021
16. Neerja Mhaskar and W. F. Smyth, Simple KMP Matching on Indeterminate Strings, Proceedings of Prague Stringology Conference, 125--133, 2020.
17. Ali Alatabbi, Jacqueline W. Daykin, Neerja Mhaskar, M. Sohel Rahman, W. F. Smyth, Applications of V-order: Suffix arrays, the Burrows-Wheeler transform and the FM-index, WALCOM: Algorithms and Computation, volume 11355 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 329-338, 2019.
18. Ali Alatabbi, Jacqueline W. Daykin, Neerja Mhaskar, M. Sohel Rahman, and W. F. Smyth, A Faster V-order String Comparison Algorithm, Proceedings of Prague Stringology Conference 2018.
19. Neerja Mhaskar and Michael Soltys, Forced Repetitions over Alphabet Lists, Proceedings of Prague Stringology Conference 2016.
20. Neerja Mhaskar and Michael Soltys, A Formal Framework for Stringology, Proceedings of Prague Stringology Conference 2015.
21. Neerja Mhaskar and Michael Soltys, Non-repetitive Strings over Alphabet Lists, WALCOM: Algorithms and Computation, volume 8973 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 270-281, 2015.

Provisional Patents:

22. Ridha Khedri, Neerja Mhaskar, and Mohammed Alabbad, Network Architecture and Segmentation: How to Achieve it Through Calculations?, Status: pending.

Technical reports:

23. Ridha Khedri, Neerja Mhaskar and Mohammed Alabbad, On the segmentation of networks, Technical Report CAS-19-01-RK, McMaster University, 2019.

Thesis:

24. Neerja Mhaskar. A Generalization of Square-free Strings. PhD Thesis, McMaster University, 2016.