Department of Computer Science

Welcome to the Department of Computer Science at Grinnell College. This site contains information primarily of interest to current students and faculty. Prospective students may find additional useful information in the CS sections of the Grinnell College website and the College Catalog.

The CS Department maintains a mailing list for current students. We routinely send announcements for department social and academic events to this list, as well as occasional job postings, reminders about upcoming deadlines, and other information likely of interest to students who are currently taking CS courses. To join the mailing list please complete the CS Students Membership Form (Grinnell login required).

News and Events

• CS Table: Open Discussion

  Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 12–1pm in JRC 224C

  We’ll conclude CS table this semester with an open discussion of topics you’re reading, thinking, and excited about. Instead of completing a reading, bring at least one item for discussion with the group. For any students who hope to earn a token by attending, be prepared to describe the item you came prepared with and at least one other topic you heard during CS table in your reflections.

  Join us at noon in JRC 224C (upstairs inside the dining hall) for our weekly discussion of computing and its impact on society. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend.

• CS Extras: Current Trends in AI-Assisted Software Development

  Peter-Michael Osera
  Thursday, May 7, 2026, 4:15pm in Noyce 3821

  As the semester comes to a close, we’ll revisit the current state of AI-assisted software development, with an eye towards how you might use AI in your development work over the summer. We’ll discuss current techniques, in particular, employing coding agents in conjunction with domain knowledge and problem decomposition to accelerate development. We will also take a critical look at our professional responsibility as life-long learners and analyze how modern development tools, like generative AI, can both help and hinder the learning process. Finally, we’ll offer guidance as to how you can apply these lessons towards your learning during the summer, whether it is in the context of an internship or on personal projects.

  Snacks and refreshments will be available before the talk begins at 4:00pm in the CS Commons (Noyce 3817).

• CS Table: Right to Repair

  Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 12–1pm in JRC 224C

  At CS table next week, we’ll discuss the right to repair movement. We’ll start with some background on the movement’s goals and hopefully discuss some recent progress on establishing and expanding the right to repair in some important domains. To prepare for our discussion, please listen to the interview (or read the transcript) linked below.

  Morgan Sung, Maya Cueva, Chris Egusa, and Chris Hambrick. To Hack a Tractor: How Farmers Won the Right to Repair (with Jason Koebler). KQED Close All Tabs. Mar 25, 2026.

  Join us at noon in JRC 224C (upstairs inside the dining hall) for our weekly discussion of computing and its impact on society. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend.

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You can find older news items in the news archive.