The Rice Thresher, Vol. 95, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, January 11, 2008 Page: 4 of 20
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I
I - _______________
TOE RICE TORESHER
FRIDAY. JANUARY 11,2008
New computer science chair
pledges auricular overhaul
TIAN YANG/THRESHER
/ scream, you scream...
Students scoop ice cream and create ice cream sundaes in the South Servery during a ice cream study break
Wednesday evening.
Baker Institute2008 Summer in D.C.
Intern Program
The |ames A. Baker ill Institute for Public Policy is seeking
applicants for its 2008 jesse Jones Leadership Center
Summer in Washington D.C. Policy Research Internship
Program. The program will provide stipends sufficient to
support a select group of Rice undergraduates conducting
policy-making research at government agencies, private
think tanks, and NGOs in D.C. in Summer 2008. Those accepted must be currently
enrolled as full-time undergraduates through Fall 2008. Those selected will attend a
seminar on public policy and global affairs coterminous with their internships in D.C.,
write a research report for publication and presentation before Rice faculty and
researchers at the beginning of Fall Semester 2008, and also organize a public policy
education activity for academic year 2008/2009. Applicants are individually
responsible for selecting and establishing internships and residency in D.C. Interested
students should send the following materials by January 28 to Dr. Steven Lewis,
Washington Internship Committee, Baker Institute, MS-40:
1. A letter of application with your campus and home addresses, telephone
numbers and e -mail addresses;
2. A short essay of no more than 600 words describing your career goals, your
internship plans (including the organizations to which you have applied or
intend to apply), and how these tie in with the mission and policy research
programs of the Baker Institute;
3. A resume;
4. An official, sealed transcript;
5. One letter of recommendation, preferably from a Rice faculty member or
researcher, who can discuss your ability to conduct policy research.
Questions should be addressed to swlcwisforice.edu.
MICHAEL ROG/THRESHER
Joe Warren (Sid '83) will take on the position of Computer Science
Department Chair in July, replacing current chair Keith Cooper.
by Sarah Rutledge
THRESHER EDITORIAL STAFF
Computer Science professor
Joe Warren (Sid '83) is trying to
challenge the popular conception
that most jobs in the computer sci-
ence field are being outsourced.
As the man picked to take over
the Computer Science department
this July, he will lead a complete
overhaul of the department's cur-
riculum in order to attract more
students to the field.
Warren said he plans to revital-
ize the current computer science
department, which has experi-
enced a decrease in computer
science majors over the past four
years. In spring 2005, the computer
science department boasted 72
computer science majors, com-
pared to last fall's 44. In spite of
this decrease, however, Warren
said he feels the department is
still maintaining its quality.
"I think the department is very
strong, and we have a good depart-
ment in terms of research and in
terms of the quality of the faculty, in
terms of the Ph.D. students we turn
out," Warren said. "I think we also
have a very good technical education
for undergraduates...undergrads
who come out of here are well pre-
pared [for graduate school]."
Warren said he wants to spread
the message that computer science
is about more than just program-
ming, since programming is a basic
skill. Instead, he plans to institute
more introductory classes with a
focus on real-world applications to
excite students previously unde-
cided about majoring in computer
science. He plans to have a class
focusing on biological computa-
tion, which will put computer
science in an applied context and
integrate science.
Warren plans to revamp the under-
graduate curriculum, which was set
during the dot com boom of the late
1990s, when the number of computer
science majors at Rice peaked.
"One of my mandates as chair is
to look at the undergraduate curricu-
lum and try to make it something
that's more exciting for students
that are thinking about majoring
in computer science," Warren said.
"We want to change the curriculum
in such a way that students get
exposed to that early on."
Instead of merely focusing
on building from the bottom up,
Warren said future introductory
courses should encompass the big
picture, including courses focus-
ing on themes in biological compu-
tation that join computer science
with other fields of study.
Warren received bachelor's
degrees in mathematics, math-
ematical science and computer
science at Rice, and a Ph.D.
and master's degree from Cor-
nell University in computer sci-
ence. Last semester, he taught
COMP 260: Introduction to Com-
puter Game Creation, which fo-
cused on building and designing
computer games.
THE WARREN FILE
■ B.S. in math, math-
ematical science and
computer science at
Rice University
■ M.S. in computer
science from Cornell
University
■ Ph.D. computer sci-
ence from Cornell
University
■ Taught at Rice since
1986
GRAD
From page 1
Conservatory of Music from
2001-2005. She lived alone in the
Rice Graduate Apartments.
"Emma was a lovely young
woman and gifted violinist," Dean
of the Shepherd School Robert
Yekovich said. "Her passing has
been particularly difficult for the
faculty and students she worked
with most closely, and it has deeply
affected everyone in the Shepherd
School community who shared her
love of music."
In a memo to the Rice graduate
student body, Dean of Graduate and
Postdoctoral Studies Paula Sanders
said there were plans for a campus-
wide memorial service, although a
date has not yet been set.
Rice music graduate student
Emma Lundgren
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Whitfield, Stephen. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 95, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, January 11, 2008, newspaper, January 11, 2008; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth443076/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.