Computer Science | Grinnell College

CS Department Responsibilities

The computer science faculty actively engage in activities and projects within Grinnell College, the Science Division, the department, and other areas. This page serves as a reference and contact list for many of these activities. Since all faculty are actively engaged in teaching, this page does not include specific activities related to classes, course development, or other aspects of teaching.

Contact the relevant faculty member if you have questions or comments regarding any of these activities.

Contact the department chair if you have questions about the department, organizational matters, or other areas not covered in this listing.

College Level

AI Institute: Fernanda Monteiro Eliott and Peter-Michael Osera

Web Governance Committee: Charlie Curtsinger

Department Level

Department Chair: Peter-Michael Osera

  • Supervision of departmental assistant(s)
  • Development of faculty-staff teaching assignment
  • Creation of class schedules
  • Faculty recruiting
  • Promotion, tenure, contract renewal reviews
  • Merit reviews
  • Regular meetings with Student Educational Policy Committee (SEPC)
  • Paperwork from Dean’s office
  • Faculty mentoring
  • College catalog entry
  • Review transfer credit requests
  • Budget

Communications Liaison and Web Site Admin: Charlie Curtsinger and Shawn Ong

  • Work on design of Web site.
  • Update Web site.
  • Coordinate with student assistant.
  • Coordinate with Communications department.

Computer Science Museum: Charlie Curtsinger

  • Rebuild and update catalog.
  • Inventory equipment.
  • Design and update displays.

Computer Science Commons: CS SEPC

  • Make sure there’s water in the coffee pot.
  • Straighten.
  • Wash stray dishes.

Graduate Program Liaison: Jerod Weinman and Shawn Ong

  • Serve as a contact point for institutions interested in recruiting at Grinnell.
  • Organize talks.
  • Work with CLS to coordinate travel for recruiting weekends.

Liaison to University of Iowa Cooperative Degree Program: Fernanda Monteiro Eliott

  • Arrange annual talk. (handled by CS Extras coordinator)
  • Coordinate with UIowa.
  • Serve as resource for interested students.

Pledge of the Computing Professional: Jerod Weinman

  • Interface with national organization.
  • Coordinate ceremony.

Study Abroad in CS: Jerod Weinman

  • Maintain list of study-abroad programs relevant to CS
  • Maintain list of course equivalents in those programs
  • Advise students on study-abroad options
  • Coordinate with Off-Campus Study office
  • Present OCS opportunities to students during a CS Extra

Supervision of Peer Educators (Mentors, Lab Assistants, Tutors): Sarah Dahlby Albright

  • Train mentors, evening tutors, individual tutors, graders
  • Prepare lists of responsibilities for peer educators
  • Prepare picture list of peer educators
  • Recruit students for peer-educator positions
  • Interview prospective peer educators
  • Work with faculty to assign peer mentors to classes
  • Prepare schedule of evening tutors
  • Assign individual and small-group tutors to students
  • Read and respond to reports from individual tutors, evening tutors, and mentor sessions
  • Gather data on usage of peer educators

Student Groups

Girls Who Code Advisor: Nicole Eikmeier

Machine Learning Club: Fernanda Monteiro Eliott

Diversity Initiatives

CPUs (Computing Peers United): Sarah Dahlby Albright and Fernanda Monteiro Eliott

  • Support student leaders.

Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing: Nicole Eikmeier

  • Gather funding to support student attendance.
  • Advertise program to students and encourage them to seek scholarships.
  • Organize pre-conference session.
  • Mentor students at conference.
  • Organize post-conference session.

Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing: Peter-Michael Osera

  • Gather funding to support student attendance.
  • Advertise program to students and encourage them to seek scholarships.
  • Organize pre-conference session.
  • Mentor students at conference.
  • Organize post-conference session.

Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas Women in Computing (MINKWIC): Samuel A. Rebelsky

Social activities

Computer Science Table: Charlie Curtsinger and William Rebelsky

  • Select readings
  • Advertise (coordinate with AA)
  • Lead discussions

Picnic: Eric Autry and Shawn Ong

Study Breaks: CS SEPC

Thursday Extras: Jerod Weinman and Shawn Ong

  • Arrange and maintain schedule
  • Work with ASA to advertise

Annual Talks

Department Welcome Session: Peter-Michael Osera

Preparing for Registration (fall): Peter-Michael Osera

Graduate School: Charlie Curtsinger and Shawn Ong

Summer Opportunities in CS: Fernanda Monteiro Eliott

Summer Research at Grinnell (spring): CS Faculty

Major Declaration and Advising (spring): Peter-Michael Osera