Academic Profile

I am an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Computer Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. My research focuses on operating systems, computer networks, distributed systems, and cybersecurity. I also lead the Systems Research Group. With over 20 years of teaching experience, I have supervised a number of undergraduate and graduate research projects while contributing to the development of the computer science curriculum at UPLB.

Current Research Focus

My current focus is on the development of distributed computing infrastructures using open-source technologies and their applications in various domains including scientific computing, data analytics, and education.

I am particularly interested in building affordable and sustainable computing systems that can be deployed in educational institutions with limited resources.

"My teaching philosophy centers on the belief that students possess the capacity to learn any topic through dedication and active engagement, especially through hands-on experimentation in systems subjects. My role is to be a facilitator of learning, encouraging independent exploration of diverse resources and critical thinking, while striving to create a world-class learning environment focused on fundamentals." - Read more

Research Areas

Distributed Computing Systems

My research in this area focuses on the design, implementation, and performance analysis of distributed computing systems, particularly those built using open-source technologies. This includes grid computing environments, cloud-based infrastructures, and distributed application frameworks.

Cybersecurity

I investigate various aspects of cybersecurity, including technical controls, security operations, governance, and compliance. Recent work has been on malware characterization and classification.

Robotics and Instrumentation

My focus in this area is in the development of integrated sensor networks for autonomous operation in diverse environments. I explore applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Water Vehicles (USWVs), optimizing their sensing capabilities, navigation algorithms, and multi-vehicle coordination for complex data collection tasks.

Computer Science Education

This area of my research explores innovative teaching methodologies, curriculum development, and educational technologies for computer science education. I am particularly interested in approaches that make computing concepts more accessible and engaging.

Selected Publications

P2c: Towards scientific computing on private clouds
Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla
Proceedings of the 12th National Conference on IT Education (NCITE 2014), pages 163–168
Skylab: An extensible workflow web application for HPC on the cloud
Vincent Paul L. Carpio, Katrina Joy M. Abriol-Santos, and Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla
Proceedings of the 17th Philippine Computing Science Congress (PCSC 2017), pages 143–148
Characterization and classification of malware traffic over the tor network
Marie Betel B. de Robles, Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla, and Jaderick P. Pabico
Proceedings of the 20th Philippine Computing Science Congress (PCSC 2020), pages 78–87
Development of a realtime wireless sensor network-based information system for efficient irrigation of upland and lowland crop production systems
Ruzzel Dean C. Ramirez, Edzel S. Agulto, Steven D. Glaser, Ziran Zhang, Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla, and Victor B. Ella
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,1038(1):012028
ICS-OS: A kernel programming approach to teaching operating system concepts
Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla
Philippine Information Technology Journal, 2(2):25–30, 2009
View Complete List

Teaching

I teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science, with emphasis on systems-level concepts, networking, and programming.

Undergraduate Courses

  • CMSC 125: Operating Systems
  • CMSC 137: Computer Networks
  • CMSC 191: Undergraduate Special Topics (Cybersecurity)

Graduate Courses

  • CMSC 215: Advanced Computer Systems
  • CMSC 291: Graduate Special Topics (Modern Distributed Systems)
  • IT 210: Internet Security

Course materials, including syllabi and selected lecture notes, are available to enrolled students through our learning management system. Some materials are also available on YouTube and GitHub.

Research Projects

Below are some of the significant research projects I have led or contributed to in recent years:

ICS OS

An instructional operating system used for teaching CMSC 125.

GitHub

ICS NetSim

Network simulator inspired by Cisco's Packet Tracer used for teaching CMSC 137.

GitHub

SRG Technical Report Searcher

A search tool for technical reports which powers Peak-One, the ICS repository and search engine for technical reports.

GitHub

Peak-Two Cloud

A private cloud infrastructure using commodity PCs to run HPC and distributed computing workloads. This project is part of my (unfinished) PhD work.

Papers: 1 2 3 4

Krownet

A collection of simulations and visualizations for various data communications and computer networking concepts.

GitHub

Punla

A Web-based application to predict the nutritional and mineral content of rice varieties through machine learning. A collaboration with the Grain Quality and Nutrition group at IRRI.

Status: Ongoing

Student Advising

I supervise undergraduate and graduate students interested in my research areas. If you are a motivated student interested in working with me on a systems research project, please send me an email with your research interests and background.

Current Graduate Advisees

Student Program Research Topic
Nicko C. Albes MS Computer Science (TBD)

Service

I am committed to serving both the academic community and the broader computing profession through various roles and initiatives. I have reviewed for various conferences and journals: Philippines Computing Science Congress (PCSC), National Conference on Information Technology Education (NCITE), Mindanao Journal of Science and Technology (MJST), Philippine e-Journal for Applied Research and Development (PeJARD), and others.

Contact Information

Academic Office

Room: Rm. C-122a (Office) and D-200 (SRG Lab)

Building: Physical Sciences Building, Institute of Computer Science

Address: University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines

Office Hours: Calendar

Contact Details

Email: jchermocilla@up.edu.ph