Category Archives: Students

The Home Stretch

At Whitman we’ve faced a sudden uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases on campus, from 0 to 4, in the wake of two large student gatherings off campus. I asked if we should make a departmental plea for judiciousness, and my colleague John stepped up to the plate. I’m grateful. What he wrote is perfect, as I knew it would be from the email he wrote at the start of the pandemic.

John has given me permission to share his email below. Hopefully this is the last such needed for a while.

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Farewell to CS 301, ST: Computer Networks

Whitman’s last day of classes is this coming Monday. Since my Computer Networks class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, today was our last day of class. This blog post is based on the notes for my farewell speech.

Outline due to Dr. Freda Rebelsky via Dr. Samuel Rebelsky.

  1. This class was special.
  2. Keep in touch.
  3. Take care of yourselves and each other.
  4. Remember to say goodbye.

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What I was like as a student

Me ca. 1997, wearing the HMC “Claremont Smog Scale” t-shirt – in grey, of course. Note the loose hair and awkwardly amused expression. Photo courtesy Bob Keller (may he rest in peace).

At a recent (virtual) gathering of friends and colleagues, Sharon Alker asked, “What were you like as a student?” This blog post is an extended response to her question—partly for Sharon and my other faculty friends, partly for my students (particularly one graduating student who I think might gain some insight into our relationship over the last few years), and partly, as always, for myself.*

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2020 in review

At Whitman, like at many other institutions of higher education, faculty submit an annual activity report. Why? As with annual reviews in any profession, it’s a prod to reflection and self-evaluation. We don’t work closely with our nominal boss, the Dean of the College, so it serves to inform her of our workload and accomplishments. She uses this information to determine raises for the following academic year. (Not that I expect there will be raises this year—except, I hope, promotion raises for those who are so entitled.)

I’ve never been moved to blog about my annual activity report before. It’s a routine chore. But this activity report, post-sabbatical and mid-pandemic, left me thinking, “Wow, I got a lot done last year!” That’s despite spending 2 1/2 months at home with my toddler, and despite spending much of the fall semester feeling completely feckless. I think my 2020 activity report tells a story about the nature of faculty work and the mood of 2020. Continue reading

Responses to “5 ways to welcome women to computer science”

This Monday, my first essay appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education: 5 Ways to Welcome Women to Computer Science. Today, Friday, seems like a good day to reflect on responses. In particular, I want to talk about social media responses from institutions and individuals, and an in-person conversation with Whitman CS students and faculty.

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The Pledge of the Computing Professional

Last Wednesday we celebrated the third annual Pledge of the Computing Professional at Whitman College, with our first two computer science majors, three computer science minors, and an independent major.

The Pledge is a rite-of-passage ceremony for computer science students and others who intend a career in computing. Inspired by the Order of the Engineer, a pin and a certificate serve to remind alumni of their moral and ethical responsibility as a skilled professional.
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Whitman CS Summer Experiences 2017

This post shares some of the diversity of our students’ summer experiences—a very important part of a computer science student’s education. I’ve gathered short reflections from a few students and linked to the blogs of a few more. This first draft represents two summer research experiences (one at Whitman and one at a large research university) and two internships (one closely associated with Whitman and one not). Continue reading