Computer Science | Grinnell College

On Thursday, September 27, Professor Sam Rebelsky will discuss the emphasis on the algorithmic construction and transformation of graphic images in our CSC 151 course:

We have transformed the introductory course in computer science to emphasize the construction and manipulation of images. Students work with a drawing application, creating images by hand and with “scripts.”

The capstone project for the course is A Procedure is Worth 1000 Pictures, in which students write a program that, given a width and height, can generate one thousand different but related images that meet particular guidelines. The project must meet both studio and computer science design criteria. We do studio critiques of both the aesthetic and computational aspects of the projects.

We are exploring ways to have students in this course collaborate with students in the introductory studio art course. One approach builds on a Modular Print project in the studio art course in which students build a square block that they then print in multiple rotations to achieve a more complex image. For the bridge activity, we expect that studio students can propose basic arrangements of the blocks, and CS students can build a program that helps the art students explore the design spaces those arrangements suggest.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, Algorithmic arts: bridging computer science and studio art, will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

On Thursday, May 3, Isaiah Sarju 2013 will discuss the nature, history, and theory of security vulnerabilities associated with dynamic code generation:

More specifically, the talk will deal with the underlying hacking techniques and security principles which have led to research into dynamic code generation: the history of memory vulnerabilities, the security mechanisms which are used to protect against these attacks, and the state of the art of bypassing these protections.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, Dynamic code generation and what it takes to get there, will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

On Thursday, April 26, Pelle Hall 2014, Andrew Hirakawa 2012, and Jennelle Nystrom 2014 will present the result of their work in summer 2011 on software that generates programs to duplicate the effects of operations that users perform in a graphical user interface.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, Self-disclosing code, will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

On Thursday, April 19, Tolu Alabi 2013, Brad Gordon 2012, and Russel Steinbach 2012 will discuss their work in summer 2011 on parallel algorithms for computing order statistics:

How do you select the 1,678,341st largest number out of a list of 500 million numbers? The answer is surprisingly simple, and will be the subject of our Thursday Extra. We will present two efficient, parallel algorithms for selecting the kth largest element out of very large lists, a problem known as k-selection. We will discuss how graphics processing units (GPUs) enable us to easily and efficiently implement these algorithms on single computers.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, K-selection on the GPU, will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

On Thursday, April 12, Chike Abuah 2014, Rogelio Calderon 2014, and Sydney Ryan 2014 will discuss their work in summer 2011 on media computation using Python:

The Media Computation approach to learning, interactive scripting and design, since being pioneered at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has become increasingly popular in the introductory computer science courses at Grinnell College. To support this approach, we designed the MediaPython architecture, with the help of Professor Sam Rebelsky. MediaPython is the collection of GIMP functions that allow users to issue commands in different Python environments that affect images and make context changes in the GIMP.

In our talk we shall discuss the MediaPython architecture, the universal gimpbus plug-in, and the use of Python as a functional scripting language, accompanied by several exciting demonstrations.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, The MediaPython project, will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

On Thursday, February 16, Martin Dluhos 2012 will give an overview of the history of free software:

I will talk about the ideas behind the free software movement and open source movement, tell a little bit about the history and evolution of those movements, and mention some of the organizations that are involved in promoting free software. I will conclude with describing the accomplishments of the free software movement, particularly the GNU project.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The talk, "Free software and open source software," will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Our final Thursday Extra of the semester will be on December 8.

It's time to begin thinking about applications for summer internships and full-time jobs. Associate Dean and Director of Career Development Mark Peltz and CS alum Ian Atha '09 will join the CS faculty and CS SEPC for a workshop on crafting résumés geared toward positions in computing. We will discuss résumé strategies, tips, look at several examples, and answer your questions. We welcome and encourage students at all levels to attend.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). The workshop and discussion will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend.

On December 1, Paul Tymann, Professor and Chair of the Computer Science Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology, will present a talk in the Thursday Extra series:

Steganography refers to the science and art of hiding messages in other objects. The computer and in particular digital forms of information have created new ways in which messages can be hidden. This talk will discuss steganography in general, and then will focus on two simple techniques that can be used to hide messages in digital images.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). Professor Tymann's talk, "Steganography," will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend.

On Thursday, 17 November 2011, Jillian Goetz '10 will join us for an informal CS extra. Jillian, who is in her second year in a graduate program in bioinformatics, will talk about the transition from Grinnell to graduate school and will answer questions students have about her experiences in applying to graduate school, starting graduate programs, and working in an interdisciplinary field.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). An informal discussion will continue at 4:30 p.m. in the same location. Everyone is welcome to attend.

On November 10, the computer science department's faculty will discuss summer opportunities for computer science students.

It's never to soon to think about what you're going to do next summer! While summer may seem far away, taking advantage of some of the better summer opportunities requires advance planning - for example, some programs have deadlines in January or February.

At this session, members of the CS department and the Career Development Office will discuss typical summer options available in computer science - research, internships, and more. They will also suggest strategies for developing your applications. At a separate session, to be held early next semester, the CS faculty will describe summer research opportunities available at Grinnell.

Refreshments will be served at 4:15 p.m. in the Computer Science Commons (Noyce 3817). the talk and discussion will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Noyce 3821. Everyone is welcome to attend.