RICE UNIVERSITY ShuFFLE: Automated Framework for Hardware Accelerated Iterative Big Data Analysis by Ebrahim M. Songhori A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science Approved, Thesis Committee: Dr. Farinaz Koushanfar, Chair Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr. Richard G. Baraniuk Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr. Joseph R. Cavallaro Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science Houston, Texas April, 2014