Meiners named 2009 CSE Most Outstanding Graduate Student

Chad R. Meiners has been named the 2009 Most Outstanding Graduate Student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University.

He is a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering working under the guidance of Dr. Alex Liu and Dr. Eric Torng. He received his B.S. (cum laude with departmental honors) from Truman State University in 2000, his M.S. from MSU in 2004, and he will graduate in May 2009 with his Ph.D.

Meiners works on optimizing hardware based packet classification systems. Packet classification is the core mechanism that enables many Internet services such as firewall protection and packet filtering. His thesis will represent the first comprehensive study of optimization techniques for hardware-based packet classification systems.

Although he has only been working in this area for two years, he has made significant contributions to the field with four papers published in top conferences and four more of equal quality ready to be published. Furthermore, he has helped write five research proposals, one of which was funded by Cisco Systems, Inc., the leading supplier of Internet routers.

In addition to his exceptional research, Meiners has been a model citizen with eight years of service on department and College of Engineering committees, including three years as graduate student representative to the CSE department’s Advisory Committee and one year as graduate student representative to the college’s Advisory Council. He has also been a highly regarded teaching assistant and instructor for CSE 231, the introductory computer science course.

In spring 2009, the MSU Engineering Research and Graduate Studies Committee presented Meiners with an Honerable Mention for the Fitch Beach Outstanding Graduate Research Award for outstanding research in a Ph.D. program in the MSU College of Engineering. Meiners holds a patent for system and method of sub-surface system design and installation.

(Date Posted: 2009-03-26)