The Computer Science Department stands as a beacon of opportunity in the rapidly expanding field of technology. With state-of-the-art facilities, courses and professors, the program aims to help foster community, well-prepared students and innovators.
Around 20 computer laboratories are available to students across the campus, including two departmental space studies being a Networking and Cybersecurity Laboratory and a Linux lab.
There is a Mobile Development Lab where students can use a variety of iOS and Android devices for research and app creation. And currently under construction is a Cloud Development Lab, a soon to be hub for cloud infrastructure management and cloud application development.
Eric Miguel, a senior computer science major, feels although daunting at first, the program is a welcoming space with its wide range of degree studies.
“Computer Science has a reputation of being a really hard major and while that is still true, the Computer Science program at SCSU is structured in a way that’s less heavy-handed with the way content is taught,” Miguel says.
Though difficult as Miguel asserted, fellow computer science major, junior Jacob Stephens believes the role of computers not only to be vast but pivotal to our understanding of the world today.
“Computers are in everything we do and understanding that is the best way to understand the world going forward,” Stephen says. “There’s just so many things you could do with [computers].”
The program includes classes and opportunities to make friends and meet alumni in the Computer Science Club.
The Computer Science Club, located in Morill Hall room 122, is another avenue for students to get involved and feel connected.
“The Computer Science Club hosts a variety of events on a weekly basis: guest speakers, resume workshops, internship opportunity seminars, skill practice, games, social events,” Miguel says.
Stephens feels the club also provides students with a lot of opportunities to network and grow alongside like-minded individuals.
The club members work on personal projects and capstone projects within the major. These projects range from VR Research, Chemical Safety Disposal, Biometric Cybersecurity, Sports Performance and AI Modeling.
Students get the chance to work alongside professors and other students to collaborate on these innovative projects.
Stephens says even he has been working on a personal project: game development. Starting out using a program called Gamemaker Studio, he has since switched to another program called Unity.
“Developing and releasing the game has been extremely rewarding because it brings the class information to life. I used coding and project management skills and applications I learned from my classes,” Stephens says.
Currently Stephens has made two games, his first titled “CANDLES” took him about a year to complete. The game entails navigating a house collecting candles before an enemy manages to catch you.
His second game is titled “Silkweaver.” The game includes the player attempting to survive as the keys for movement are randomized. This game took about two weeks to complete. Throughout the process he utilized both skills he learned in the classroom and others, stating that he felt there was a noticeable improvement between the two games.
“Making games is a great creative outlet because it requires drawings, animations, writing, music and sounds,” Stephens says. “I have always practiced various art forms, so it was a great way to combine them and bring them to life with the code I learned on campus.”
Students within the club get the opportunity to compete in the International Collegiate Programming Contest.
First established in 1970, ICPC is an annual computer programming contest managed by universities worldwide, usually taking place in the fall and early spring. It consists of several levels of competition both local and regional, the highest being its World Finals first conducted in 1977.
Miguel considers this competition a personal project for him, as it takes extensive training and practice to be successful in it.
“The competition works by having teams of no more than three college students representing their school, [working] together [on] code solutions to [and] many given computer science questions,” Miguel says.
Though difficult, the contest provides students with a way to connect with alumni to learn from them.
“During the Fall 2022 semester, two SCSU Alumni wanted to see if they could get SCSU participation in ICPC going again,” Miguel says. “Last Fall, we sent three teams from SCSU to the ICPC Greater New York Regional competition held at Columbia.”
The contest is an event that provides students with one-of-a-kind experiences where they can truly practice and better their skills.
“Competing in the competition was a fun and unique experience. I don’t believe I’ve ever participated in an event that had a perfect balance of competition with pure knowledge before. We’re definitely going to be competing in it again this Fall,” Miguel says.
Though challenging, the experience is something that Miguel feels is valuable for students, especially in preparation for interviews down the road.
“The questions they ask in the competition are similar to but significantly more challenging than questions you’d get when you go for a technical interview. So, if you can at least understand the problems the competition asks, you will have an easier time.”
