Many Faces of Computer Science

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Many Faces of Computer Science

• Dr. Karl Ricanek, Jr.
• Department of Computer Science
• University of North Carolina Wilmington

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Lecture Topics

• Computer Science A definition
• Computer Science historical impacts
• Computers today here, there, everywhere
• Who are computer Scientist?
• Computer Science What can I do with this major?
• UNCW Computer Science Department
• Future of Computer Science

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Computer Science A Definition

• "The discipline of computing is the systematic
  study of algorithmic processes that describe and
  transform information, their theory, analysis,
  design, efficiency, implementation, and
  application. (Computing as a discipline,
  Communications of the ACM, January 1989).
• The name computer science immediately gives the
  impression that the field is the study of
  computers, the everyday machines that run
  programs and perform computations. (wikipedia.com)

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Computers A Historic Impact

• Pre-1900 (Calculation Mechtronic)
• Abacus (Babylonia 3000 BCE)
• Antikythera mechanism (Greece 80 BCE) astronomic
  motions
• Napier Bones (1610) multiplication
• Difference Engine (1850s) produce tables
• 1940 (First Computers/World War II)
• Mark I (1944) ballistic calculations
• ENIAC (1946) artillery calculations

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Computers A Historic Impact

• 1970 (Super Computer)
• Unix operating system
• C Language general purpose programming language
• Cray I massively parallel computer
• 1980 (Personal Computer)
• Microsoft DOS/Altair first personal computer
• Macintosh (1984) Apples first PC
• NSFnet (1987) precusor to the internet

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Computers A Historic Impact

• 1990 (Internet)
• World Wide Web (1991) developed at CERN by Tim
  Berners-Lee
• 1,000,000 Websites (1992)
• First Email Message (1992)
• 2000 (Gaming/Mobile Computing)
• 64-bit Computing
• 3D Gaming Graphics
• Personal Digital Agents/Cell Phones

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Computers Today Here, there, everywhere.

• Do you interact with computers everyday?
• How many computers do you interact with daily?
• What types of devices (computers) do you come
  into contact with daily?

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Computers Today Here, there, everywhere.
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Who are Computer Scientist?
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Who are Computer Scientist?
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Who are Computer Scientist?

• They are you and me
• Successful business owners
• Politician
• Home makers
• Academicians
• Professional Athletes
• Poets/Artist/Musicians

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Computer ScienceWhat can I do with this major?

• Arts
• Film reproduction
• Animation
• Computer Enhanced Graphics
• Business
• Model Forecasting
• Process Improvements
• Information Technology (IT)
• Business Infrastructure (Network/Communications)
• Help Desk/Application Support

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Computer ScienceWhat can I do with this major?

• Entrepreneurial
• Custom PC Engineer (gaming/media station/graphics
  workstations)
• Equity Speculation (stock trader)
• SOHO IT (small office/home office)
• Software Developer
• Web Developer

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Computer ScienceWhat can I do with this major?

• Health Research
• Detection and Measurement of Multiple Sclerosis
  Brain Lesions from Magnetic Resonance Images
  using Image Processing Techniques
• A Framework for Discovering Patterns and Trends
  in Asthma Data
• A Constraint-Based Approach to Automating
  Selection of Settings for Signal Acquisition in
  Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy
  (MRI/MRS)

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Computer ScienceWhat can I do with this major?

• Security
• Network Intrusion/Denial of Service/Malacious
  Attacks
• Biometrics (face recognition/iris
  scans/fingerprint)
• Forensics (identification/cause of
  death/age-progression)
• Telecommunications
• Call Center
• Mobile Devices/Instant Messaging
• VoIP (Voice Over IP)
• File sharing (Lime Wire/Napster)
• POD Casting/Video Streaming

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.(www.uncw.edu/csc)

• Faculty
• 13 highly motivated faculty
• Subject Matter Experts
• Animation, Artificial Intelligence, Biologically
  Inspired Systems, Digital Arts, Graphics, Image
  Processing, IT, Linguistics, Mobile Devices,
  Networking, Programming, Signal Processing,
  Speech, Visualization, Web Development
• Research
• Many 100s of articles submitted to research
  publications
• Paid student research assistantships
• Collaborations
• Anthropology, Biology, Business, Chemistry,
  Education, Film Studies, Marine Science, Nursing,
  Philosophy, Psychology, etc.

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Student Led Research

• GRID Computing (www.gridnexus.org)
• The idea of Grid computing resulted from the
  confluence of three developments
• The proliferation of largely unused computing
  resources (especially desktop computers) over
  200 million pcs were sold in the past year!
• The greatly increased cpu speed of commodity
  computers.
• The widespread availability of fast, universal
  network connections (the Internet).

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.GRID Computing

• A computing Grid is analogous to an electrical
  power grid.
• The user simply taps into the resource (with
  permission), but is usually unaware of the origin
  of the resource.

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.GRID Computing
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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Student Led Research

• Biometrics Face Age-Progression
  (www.faceaginggroup.com)
• Face based biometrics are used to protect our
  borders.
• Face biometrics checks a persons face against
  one in kept in a database.
• As people age their face changes.
• Does this natural age-progression change impact
  biometric identification algorithms?

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Biometrics Face
Age-Progression

• Interview with UNC-TV

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Student Led Research

• Project Numina (aa.uncw.edu/numina/)

power connection
Dell Axim X5
keyboard/stand
temperatureprobe
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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Project Numina
Pocket PC
Pocket HyperChem
Pocket Internet Explorer
RDCalc
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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Research

• http//www.uncw.edu/csc/research-projects.html
• Paraguin Parallel Compiler Project
• Bioinformatics Research Group
• iLumina Digital Library Project
• Digital Signal Processing Project
• Virtual Reality Environment for 3D Immersive
  Visualization and Simulation
• Natural Language Interaction

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UNCW Computer Science Dept.Degree Offerings

• Undergraduate
• BS Computer Science
• Minor Computer Science
• Theory based minor designed to integrate with the
  hard sciences, e.g., math, physics, chemistry,
  etc. (12 core / 6 elective hours)
• Minor Information Technology
• Interdisciplinary minor designed to easily
  integrate with most majors on campus. (12 core /
  6 elective hours)
• Digital Arts (coming soon)
• Focus on animation, gaming arts, and computer
  science side of film production. (12 core / 6
  elective hours)
• E.g. art and visual design, basic CS, Flash, 3D
  graphics, time-based narrative content, etc.
• Graduate
• Masters of Computer Science/Information Systems
  (best of both worlds)

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Future of Computer Science

• Demand is tremendous for Computer Scientist
• Out sourcing has not impacted the need for CS
• Bill Gates, I need more computer science guys.
• Salary
• Entry Level 45,000 to 55,000
• Seasoned 65,000 to 85,000
• CIO 105,000 to