About the instructor

My answers to the survey questions:

9. What is your name, and what do you like to be called?

   My name is Janet Davis. For this class, please call me Ms. Davis or Professor Davis.

10. What is your major (or intended major)?

    My undergraduate major was computer science (though I originally wanted to study physics). I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science & Engineering. My dissertation was in the area of human-computer interaction; I also studied networks and operating systems.

11. What courses are you taking this term? Please provide titles.
    

    I am also teaching CSC 364, Computer Networks, and TEC 154, Evolution of Technology.

12. Tell me a little bit about your background with computers.
    

    I've always been curious about computers. My family had a TI/994A when I was growing up, where I learned to program a bit of Basic. It had plug-in cartridges like a Nintendo, and you could store your own programs on cassette tape! I also learned to program in Logo in 4th grade at school. My family got its first real PC when I was in middle school, and I took a couple of computer programming classes (in Basic and Pascal) in high school. 

    But, I didn't consider computing as a career until college. I took a class like this one during my first semester, and the rest is history!

13. What do you hope to learn or gain from this course?
    

    I'm looking forward to continuing to hone my teaching of this class.  I'm also very excited; this will be the largest section of CSC 151 I've ever taught!

14. What are your biggest concerns for this course?
    

    I'm teaching two other courses and traveling a fair bit this semester; I'm worried I may get behind on grading.

15. Tell me something you'd like me to ask you more about later (e.g., your hometown, a hobby, a story, a goal).
    

    Ask me about my pedometer, my cats, or my current craft or homemaking projects. Or just about anything, really.

My answers to your questions:

You said in your answers that you do crafts? What sorts? For fun or for profit?

Never for profit.  My big thing lately is knitting; I also crochet, do beadwork, and sew. I like inventing things.

 I'd like to know of your pets, if you have any.

I have two cats, Sprite and Eliza.  Sprite is middle-aged and arthritic, but still rolls around like a kitten. Eliza is young and fearless.  They are both shorthairs, though Sprite is very fuzzy. Sprite is black and Eliza is a calico.

How did you become interested in Computer Science?

Hmmm---I was a science geek in middle/high school, so I guess I was always kind of interested.  What really got me hooked was when I realized programming was about making things, which is fun.

I'd like to know what your first introduction to computer science course was like.

My very first introduction to CS course was in high school, programming in Visual Basic. We did those stereotypical things like computing compound interest, but it was still enough fun that I stuck with it.

What motivated you to study computer science, and what do you consider the most rewarding aspects of the discipline?

Those two questions have the same answer: I really like making things. Also, CS, like math, has some really beautiful ideas. But I also like all the problems in computing that don't have a single right answer.

I'm curious about your computer background -- when did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in computer science? Did you have any issues with being a woman in the field?

Although I took some computing classes in high school, I didn't really take it seriously until my first semester of college. I decided on a CS major when I realized there was a reason why I always chose my CS homework to do first---it was fun! I was the only woman CS major out of 32 in my graduating class, but I was mostly oblivious to this, and had some very supportive faculty and classmates. By contrast, I'm very pleased by the number of women taking 151 this semester.

I am very curious to learn more about your dissertation. How do you mean human-computer interaction? How did you settle on that topic?

I like to say that HCI is the study of two questions, one a scientific question and the other a design question: "How do people interact with computers?" and "How can we design computer systems that enhance the human experience?" How I got there is a long-ish answer---ask me sometime.

 How long did it take to get your PHD in CS?

It took me seven years.  But I changed research areas at least once and maybe three times, depending on how you count. (Ask me sometime.)

Why did you decide to become a professor rather than work in the computer industry?

I discovered in grad school that I really enjoy teaching. Designing learning experiences is challenging and creative and provides a lot of opportunities for feedback and revision. I enjoy the academic environment and working with college students. I like the freedom to choose my own projects and decide how best to accomplish my work. (I even like grading sometimes!)

How long have you worked/lived in Grinnell? How do you like it?

I've lived here since July 2006, and I like it a lot!

Are you working on any research in the department at the moment? 

Of course! My front door page has a bit of information, and I'd be glad to chat about it more sometime.

Have you written any cool little programs?  Perhaps not all that useful, but they're fun to play around with or cool to look at.

You'll see some of the fun little programs I've written in this class. :-) I wrote a few little games for my intro CS course way back when, but I'm
afraid they're not handy any more.  

I wonder how you've used your computer science knowledge to accomplish things in your personal life.

I've used my CS knowledge to build software to help me design beadwork, and my beadwork web site from way before there was flickr
(http://www.one-eyed-alien.net/~janet/beadwork).  I recently learned how to use a library for creating PDF files so that I could make my own calendars, but ended up deciding not to use what I made.

What is the most interesting thing you've ever done on/with a computer?

I'm going to have to think about that one.  You can read about some interesting work my students did in the hallway outside our classroom.

Janet Davis (davisjan@cs.grinnell.edu)