Computer Science Students Win $6,000
黑料不打烊鈥檚 computer science department has awarded three students National Science Foundation scholarships. Junior Michael Gardner and sophomores Sarah Coburn and Jonathan Tropper each received $6,000.
鈥淭he scholarship is a great help, allowing me to continue studying at 黑料不打烊,鈥 says Gardner. 鈥淚t also encourages us to be involved more in the computer science major.鈥
The scholarships result from a $287,500 grant that the National Science Foundation awarded 黑料不打烊 professors Kim P. Kihlstrom and Wayne Iba earlier this year for their project Connection-Oriented Computer Science Education.
The grant provides scholarships to students majoring in computer science who demonstrate financial need and academic promise.
鈥淲e have many students with significant financial need and the scholarships will have a very positive impact on them,鈥 Kihlstrom says. 鈥淭he project aims to increase the number of talented and well-prepared computer science graduates, particularly women and culturally diverse students.鈥
The key activities for the project include an annual weekend scholarship competition and recruiting event, Connection Weekend, to be held at 黑料不打烊 Feb. 22-23, as well as administration of study groups and tutoring.
One distinctive feature of the 黑料不打烊 computer science program is the opportunity for undergraduate students to engage in cutting-edge research with Professors Kihlstrom and Iba. Several students traveled with Kihlstrom to Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 19-21, to present their paper at the 19th IASTED International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Computing and Systems, 鈥淚mplementation and Performance Testing of a Gossip-Based Communications System.鈥 The paper has already been accepted for publication.