MCS » lives

Dobler Receives Faculty Service Award

Max Hailperin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:03:48 +0000

President Ohle congratulates Carolyn Dobler

Gustavus President Jack Ohle presented Professor Carolyn Dobler, Chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, with the Faculty Service Award at today’s Founders Day ceremony in chapel.

MCS Almuna To Receive First Decade Award

Max Hailperin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:36:37 +0000

The Gustavus Alumni Association Board of Directors has named Tammy (Williams) VanDeGrift to be the 2009 female recipient of the First Decade Award for early career achievements, which will be presented at the 10th anniversary class dinner on October 9th. Congratulations to Tammy, who has made quite a name for herself in computer science education.

Dahlkes’ “Hands for Harvest” Makes News

Max Hailperin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:30:44 +0000

The Mishnah tells us that “These are the things that have no measure: The portion of the field allocated to the poor, … acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah.” Two Gustavus Computer Science graduates, Travis and Nathan Dahlke (classes of 2000 and 2002) seem to have started with 1/3 acre as the initial measure for Hands for Harvest, a non-profit using volunteer labor to grow food for food banks. But surely it will expand. Gail Rosenblum tells the story in this week’s Star Tribune.

Update 2009-09-27: The Free Press has now reported on this story as well. They also give the same one acre figure as the Star Tribune did, as opposed to my 1/3 acre. I had gotten the smaller figure from a photo caption on the Hands for Harvest web site. But that caption referred to how much was planted the first day, as opposed to the first season. So depending on how you read “started with,” I was wrong. Or said another way, the expansion I predicted has already started.

Erik Tou (2002) Publishes on Arithmetic Lattices

Max Hailperin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:55:45 +0000

Erik Tou, an honors math major from the class of 2002, recently published an article on “Explicit constructions of arithmetic lattices in SL(n,R)” in the International Journal of Mathematics and Computer Science, along with Lee Stemkoski of Adelphi University. Erik received his PhD from Dartmouth in 2007 and is on the faculty at Carthage College. Congratulations, Erik, on the publication. (Note to other alumni: please let us know what you are doing.)

Prof. Kaiser elevated to Provost’s Office

Max Hailperin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:30:24 +0000

Barbara Kaiser will spend the next three years largely away from the MCS department, serving as Associate Provost and Dean of Academic Programs.

Prof. Hvidsten in China, Blogging

Max Hailperin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Mike Hvidsten is spending a sabbatical year at United International College (UIC) in Zhuhai, China, along with his wife and son. The three of them are maintaining a blog of their experiences.

Alum to perform in Maplewood, Aug.14

Max Hailperin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:26:13 +0000

Nick Rogness, class of 2007, plays the bass in two rock bands performing in Maplewood on August 14, Limit and Schitty Weezer. With a name like “Limit” you’d never guess he was a math major, eh?

Which one of these majors is not like the others?

Max Hailperin — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:26:45 +0000

The Star Tribune interviewed a bunch of Gustie seniors. Who was the only one with a job lined up? Computer Science major Tom Wick. Of course, you have to take anecdotal evidence with a grain of salt. But broader evidence suggests some points consonant with Tom’s experience. Computer science majors are subject to booms and busts like everyone else, with job markets that cycle between buyers’ and sellers’ markets. But throughout that whole cycle, they fare better than students with many other majors, all else equal. And that last caveat is vitally important. Computer science majors still need to make their own luck. Tom’s story of choosing to pursue an opportunity in his home town would be an example of that. Other MCS seniors who wound up with job offers as a result of prior summer internships would be another.

MCS Alum’s Engagement Makes the News

Max Hailperin — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:26:23 +0000

Congratulations and best wishes to Javen and Obadiah.

Newest Addition to the MCS Dept.

Max Hailperin — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:37:55 +0000

Well, OK, he is as much an addition to the Chemistry Department as to MCS. Allan Richard Nienow was born December 23, 2007, at 2:37pm, weighing 6 lb. 13 oz. and measuring 21.5 inches. Mother and baby are reported to be doing well. Congratulations to Amanda and Aaron!