What is Computer Science? Department of Computer Science

Ithaca College

What do YOU think a Computer Scientist is?

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Computer Science = Games?

Computer Science = Web?

Computer Science = Code?

Is computer science just writing programs?

80486d4: 20 b1 04 08 07 10 and %dh,0x10070804(%ecx) 80486da: 00 00 add %al,(%eax) 80486dc: 24 b1 and $0xb1,%al 80486de: 04 08 add $0x8,%al 80486e0: 07 pop %es 80486e1: 11 00 adc %eax,(%eax) 80486e3: 00 28 add %ch,(%eax) 80486e5: b1 04 mov $0x4,%cl 80486e7: 08 07 or %al,(%edi) 80486e9: 12 00 adc (%eax),%al 80486eb: 00 2c b1 add %ch,(%ecx,%esi,4) 80486ee: 04 08 add $0x8,%al 80486f0: 07 pop %es 80486f1: 13 00 adc (%eax),%eax 80486f3: 00 30 add %dh,(%eax) 80486f5: b1 04 mov $0x4,%cl 80486f7: 08 07 or %al,(%edi) 80486f9: 14 00 adc $0x0,%al 80486fb: 00 34 b1 add %dh,(%ecx,%esi,4) 80486fe: 04 08 add $0x8,%al 8048700: 07 pop %es 8048701: 15 00 00 38 b1 adc $0xb1380000,%eax 8048706: 04 08 add $0x8,%al 8048708: 07 pop %es 8048709: 16 push %ss 804870a: 00 00 add %al,(%eax) 804870c: 3c b1 cmp $0xb1,%al 804870e: 04 08 add $0x8,%al 8048710: 07 pop %es 8048711: 17 pop %ss

public class Hello{ public static void main(String args[]) { System.out.println(“Hello World!”); }}

So what is Computer Science?

“ Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes, biology about microscopes, or chemistry is about beakers and test tubes. Science is not about tools. It is about how we use them, and what we find out when we do.”

Michael Fellows and Ian Parberry

What is Computer Science?

In fact, computer science is everywhere!

What is Computer Science?

Organizing data

Applying algorithmic

thinking to solve problems

Creating intelligenc

e

Controlling machinery

Communications

Creating media

Creating knowledge

tools

Organizing Data

• Problem: What does my store own? How do I sell my product?

• Solution: – Database + Web programming = e-commerce

• Amazon• eBay• Travelocity• Qatar airways

Organizing Data

• Problem: Where am I? What’s showing at the closest movie cinema?

• Solution: – GIS + Web programming

• Mapquest• Google maps• Dohamap.com• Car Navigation system

Connecting the World

• Computer Science reinvents the Information Society every day

– Inventnewnetworks

– Protect your electronic worldSecure your electronic self

– Imagine new uses forthe Internet

Creating intelligence• Problem: How do I get

machines to help me do dangerous/boring/dirty tasks? How can machines help me learn more about the world?

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Solution: • Robotics and Artificial Intelligence• Computer Vision• Natural language processing• Machine Learning

Creating Media• Problem: How do I interpret

and communicate information in useful ways?

• Solution: – Media convergence

• Digital Sound• Digital Animation• Digital Video• Digital Print

Doing Science• Problem: How do I visualize and analyze

scientific data in useful ways? • Solution:

– Computer modeling– Computer simulations– Computer animation– Visualization tools– Intelligent databases– Grid computing– Machine learning– Computational Biology

http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/students/prospectus/courses/page1258.jsphttp://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/v33_3_00/collision.htm

Careers

• Computer Scientists create tools– databases, web browsers, movie editors

• Computer Scientists create solutions– using software tools to solve problems– how can technology help people in developing countries?

• Computer Scientists study computation– using math to explore the limits of computers and software– trying to understand intelligence and knowledge

CS at IC: What?

GoalTo train tomorrow’s leaders in computer science for both industry and academia

CS at IC: Who?

CS at IC: How?

Education:• Strong technical CS core• BS gives strong science background• Excellent faculty• Personalized education

Experience:• Participation in conferences• Internships• Undergraduate research

Breadth:• variety of CS electives• BA leaves plenty of credits to take minors in other fields

CS and CIS Courses

COMP 11500Discrete Math

COMP 18000Java

COMP 17100Intro CS

COMP 23400 Ethics

COMP 21000Systems Prog

COMP 22000Data Struct

COMP 24500Software Eng

COMP 43000Virtual Reality

COMP 47500Senior Proj

COMP 41100Automata

COMP 42000Compilers

COMP 46100Systems Analysis

COMP 49000Special Topics

COMP 32100Prog Lang

COMP 31100Algorithms

COMP 31000Operating Systems

COMP 34400Computer Architecture

COMP 37500Databases

COMP 36500Computer Networks

Last Thoughts…

• Today, virtually every field uses computer science

• Tomorrow’s leaders must understand technology; a CS major will give you that knowledge

Research: Virtual Reality for Occupational Therapy

• Problem: – How do you encourage people to

repeatedly practice movements?

• Solution:– Create virtual world games to

motivate specific movements

• People:– Collaboration between Sharon

Stansfield, Computer Science Dept and ??, Occupational Therapy Dept

Research: Robots to aid people with limited mobility

Problem: – Older people and people with limited mobility need

assistance doing routine activities around the house

People:Sharon Stansfield, CS

Solution:Combine robots with a computer-based virtual recreation of a house

A person commands a robot to do a task in the virtual house (e.g., get slippers)

Virtual reality program tells the robot how to accomplish the task

Robot carries out the task

Research: Creating Animation

Problem: – Programming animation is tedious and time-

consuming

Solution:–Alice–Interactive object-oriented environment that makes creating 3D animations straight-forward

People:–Wanda Dann and Anne Applin, Computer Science Dept