Dr. Heather M. Guarnera

Since 2020, I am an Assistant Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. ​ I studied computer science at The University of Akron. The advisor for my ​ Master's Thesis was Dr. Michael Collard. I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science from Kent State University in 2020 ​ under the supervision of Dr. Feodor Dragan. ​
​
My Erdõs number is 3 (Paul Erdõs -- Dieter Kratsch -- Feodor Dragan -- Heather Guarnera).

Education

Ph.D. Computer Science Kent State University 2015 - 2020
M.S. Computer Science The University of Akron 2013 - 2015
B.S. Computer Science (minor in Mathematics) The University of Akron 2009 - 2013

Academic Experience

Assistant Professor. Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio. 8/20-present
Graduate Assistant. Department of Computer Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. 8/15-6/20
Part-time Instructor. Department of Computer Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. 6/18-8/18; 6/19-8/19; 6/20-8/20
Research Assistant. Department of Computer Science, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. 5/16-8/16; 5/17-8/17
Research Assistant. Department of Computer Science, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio. 12/14-8/15
Graduate Assistant. Department of Computer Science, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio. 9/13-5/14

Industry Experience

Consultant/co-advisor for ViviDynamics Project. AMRE, Wooster, Ohio. 2023
Consultant/co-advisor for Line45 Project. AMRE, Wooster, Ohio. 2021
Software Engineer Intern. GraphSQL, Kent, Ohio. 2016
Associate Software Engineer. BGI-LLC, Akron, Ohio. 2014
Software Engineer Intern. BGI-LLC, Akron, Ohio. 2012-2014

Research Interests

My research interests are in graph theory and algorithms, with a focus in the broad category of hyperbolic graphs and several interesting graph classes including Helly graphs, distance-hereditary graphs, AT-free graphs, and chordal graphs. My research interests also include software engineering and algorithmic applications, such as mining software repositories and graph visualization.

Scholarly Work (see also Google Scholar)

An asterisk* indicates undergraduate student.

  1. Daniel Cohen-Cobos*, Kiyomi Sanders*, Laura DeGroot, Heather Guarnera, Cody Leary, John F. Lindner, Niklas Manz. Chemistry does general relativity: reaction-diffusion waves can model gravitational lensing, Frontiers in Physics, 2024. [doi]
  2. Heather M. Guarnera, Feodor F. Dragan, and Arne Leitert. Injective hulls of various graph classes. Graphs and Combinatorics 38, 112 (2022). [arXiv] [doi]
  3. Abdulhakeem O. Mohammed, Feodor F. Dragan, Heather M. Guarnera. Fellow Travelers Phenomenon Present in Real-World Networks, Complex Networks & Their Applications, 2022. [doi]
  4. Feodor F. Dragan, Guillaume Ducoffe, Heather M. Guarnera. Fast deterministic algorithms for computing all eccentricities in (hyperbolic) Helly graphs, the 17th Algorithms and Data Structures Symposium (WADS'21), 2021. [arXiv] [doi]
  5. Feodor F. Dragan and Heather M. Guarnera. Helly-gap of a graph and vertex eccentricities. Theoretical Computer Science, 867:68-84, 2021. [arXiv] [doi]
  6. Feodor F. Dragan and Heather M. Guarnera. Eccentricity function in distance-hereditary graphs. Theoretical Computer Science, 833: 26-40, 2020. [arXiv] [doi]
  7. Feodor F. Dragan and Heather M. Guarnera. Eccentricity terrain of 𝛿-hyperbolic graphs. Journal of Computer and System Sciences, 112: 50-56, 2020. [arXiv] [doi]
  8. Feodor F. Dragan and Heather M. Guarnera. Obstructions to a small hyperbolicity in Helly graphs. Discrete Mathematics, 342(2): 326-338, 2019. [arXiv] [doi]
  9. Michaud, H., Guarnera, D., Collard, M.L., and Maletic, J.I., "Recovering Commit Branch of Origin" in the Proceedings of 32nd IEEE International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution (ICSME'16), Raleigh, NC, Oct. 2 - 10, 2016, pages 10. (29% acceptance) [pdf]
  10. Michaud, H., Liszka, K., Chan, C., “Application of Data Mining to Learning Assessment”, in The International Conference on Education and Psychological Sciences (ICEPS’14), Taipei Taiwan, 2014.

Thesis

Heather M. Guarnera. Hyperbolicity, injective hulls, and Helly graphs. PhD thesis, Kent State University, 2020. [ohiolink]

Conference Presentations

8/21 WADS 2021: Algorithms and Data Structures Symposium, virtually (planned for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada). August 9 - 11, 2021. [slides]
10/16 ICSME 2016: International Conference on Software Maintenance and Evolution, Raleigh, North Carolina. October 2 - 10, 2016. [slides]

Hackathons, Programming Contests, and STEM Fairs

Other Professional Activities

Awards, Funding, and Other Support

$975 NSF Student Travel Grant, 2016.
$300 Graduate Student Senate Domestic Travel Award, 2016.
$5,000 Graduate Deans Award, 2015.
$18,000 Honors Scholarship, 2009-2012.
$24,000 University Scholarship for Excellence, 2009-2012.

Teaching

My teaching interests are in theoretical and algorithmic computer science. This includes introduction to algorithms, programming, and algorithmic graph theory. I particularly enjoy finding clean and aesthetic solutions to difficult problems in a manner that is easy to present and explain. I have experience as a primary instructor in a variety of undergraduate and graduate (*) level classes, with class sizes ranging from 10 students to 75+ students.

Course Title Terms/Dates Institution
CSCI 200: Algorithm Analysis Spring 2022, Spring 2023 The College of Wooster
CSCI 279: Problem Seminar Fall 2021 The College of Wooster
CSCI 210: Principles of Computer Organization Fall 2021 The College of Wooster
MATH 223: Combinatorics and Graph Theory Spring 2021 The College of Wooster
CSCI 100: Scientific Computing Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023 The College of Wooster
CSCI 222: Programming Languages Fall 2020 The College of Wooster
CS 10001: Computer Literacy Spring 2018 Kent State University
CS 46101: Honors Class Project Agreement Fall 2017 Kent State University
CS 46101: Design and Analysis of Algorithms Fall 2017, Summer 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Summer 2020 Kent State University
CS 56101: Design and Analysis of Algorithms (*) Fall 2017, Summer 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Summer 2020 Kent State University
CS 23022: Discrete Structures for Computer Science Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017 Kent State University
CS 23001: Computer Science II Lab Summer 2017 Kent State University
CS 13012: Computer Science IB Lab Fall 2015, Summer 2017 Kent State University
CS 13011: Computer Science IA Lab Fall 2015 Kent State University
CS 13001: Computer Science Principles Lab Fall 2015 Kent State University
3460:209: Computer Science I Lab Fall 2013, Spring 2014 The University of Akron

Service