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Associate Professor

Professor Ellman has done research in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Problem Reformulation, Computer Aided Design and Automated Software Engineering. His research is currently focused on methodologies and software tools for designing computer games. Tom teaches introductory and intermediate Computer Science courses (CMPU-101, CMPU-102 and CMPU-203) as well as upper-level courses in Graphics (CMPU-378), Animation (CMPU-379) and Game Design (CMPU-389). Tom's personal web site is located here.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Professor Gordon received his B.A. from Vassar College and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. Before returning to Vassar, he worked at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute (ISI) as a postdoctoral researcher. His research interests are broadly in artificial intelligence and computational linguistics, with a focus on learning commonsense knowledge from text.

Professor of Computer Science, CS Department Chair

Professor Hunsberger's research focus is on collaborative multi-agent systems. In particular, he is interested in endowing computer agents with intentions, as well as an ability to reason about temporal constraints, especially in group situations. Luke teaches CMPU-101 (Introduction to Computer Science), CMPU-145 (Foundations of Computer Science), CMPU-245 (Declarative Programming) and CMPU-365 (Artificial Intelligence). Luke's web site contains more information re: his research interests, publications and courses.

Professor of Computer Science

Professor Ide earned her B.A, B.S., M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, where she studied in several areas including neuroscience, linguistics, and computer science. Professor Ide is an active researcher in the field of computational linguistics, and has received several grants to support her research from the National Science Foundation, the European Commission, and others. She is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal Language Resources and Evaluation and co-editor of a book series Text, Speech, and Language Technology for Springer Publishers.

Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Rui Meireles holds Computer Science PhD degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Porto. His research interests lie in the general areas of networking and distributed systems. His research is applied and experimental in nature: designing protocols, creating prototypes and evaluating them in realistic environments. He has focused mainly in the area of Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks. Vehicular networks wirelessly connect vehicles amongst themselves and with roadside infrastructure, with the goals of improving traffic safety and efficiency, as well as providing entertainment to passengers.

Associate Professor of Computer Science

Professor Smith earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the University of Central Florida. He worked in industry for AT&T for fifteen years, during which time his Ph.D. studies were sponsored by AT&T's Doctoral Support Program. While at AT&T he worked in several different IT capacities, including applications and systems development and support, and IT infrastructure systems engineering. He was an Assistant Professor at Colby College from 2001-2006, before coming to Vassar. His research spans elements of theoretical and experimental computer science, in the areas concurrency (models of parallel and distributed computation, programming languages, and unifying theories of programming) and bioinformatics (phylogenetic inference and evolutionary robotics). At Vassar he has taught CMPU-101 (Problem-Solving and Abstraction), CMPU-102 (Data Structures and Algorithms), CMPU-203 (Software Design and Implementation), CMPU-235 (Programming Languages), CMPU-245 (Declarative Programming Models), CMPU-240 (Language Theory and Computation), CMPU-353 (Bioinformatics), CMPU-375 (Networks), CMPU-377 (Parallel Programming), and CMPU-381 (Relational Databases and SQL) as an Intensive.

Professor of Computer Science

Professor Walter earned her PhD from Texas A&M University in 2000 in the area of distributed algorithms. Her research concentrates on the development and simulation of distributed algorithms. Her particular focus currently involves adapting existing distributed algorithms for use on wireless ad hoc networks and creating new motion planning algorithms for self-reconfigurable robotic systems. Jenny teaches introductory computer science (CMPU-101 and 102), analysis of algorithms (CMPU-241), formal language theory (CMPU-240), computational complexity, computational geometry, and distributed algorithms. Jenny's website contains a list of her publications and highlights of the Vassar Women in Computer Science at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Jason Waterman received his Ph.D in Computer Science at Harvard University in the area of Coordinated Resource Management in Sensor Networks. Before getting his Ph.D, he worked at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), working in the areas of Human Centered Computing and mobile systems for patient monitoring. He also earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University. His area of research is developing Mobile Health (mHealth) systems to improve the quality of healthcare using smartphones and wearable technologies. Jason teaches Computer Organization (CMPU-224), Operating Systems (CMPU-334), and Computer Architecture (CMPU-324).

Systems Administrator

Matt came to Vassar in January 2020 after a number of years in industry.

Administrative Assistant

Jennie joined us initially during the middle of the spring 2017 semester, and she's been with us permanently since August 2017. We are delighted to welcome her to our department. She earned her B.S. degree in Broadcast Production and Management from SUNY New Paltz and is currently working toward a Master's Degree in Computer Science. She is interested in developing programs and assistive technologies to help people with learning disorders.

Louis Voerman, Visiting Associate Professor. Retired Spring 2009. We wish Lou all the best in his retirement after 26 years of wonderful service to Vassar and the Computer Science Department.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Professor Jones earned his BS in Electrical Engineering at Cooper Union, MS in Computer Science at Marist College, and his doctorate in Computer Science at Pace University. He was an Industry Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science for 18 years at the Polytechnic University Graduate Center, Westchester, NY. During that period he was also an Engineering and Computer Science Consultant to a number of organizations. He spent the following 3 years at The Sage College of Albany as an Associate Professor of Computer Science, with 2 years as department chair. His research is in computational music composition systems. His interests include digital hardware design and issues in multicore and distributed operating systems.

Adjunct Professor

With Bachelors and Masters degrees in Computer Science, Alan has spent the past 20 years as a teacher and independent technology consultant. In addition to his academic pursuits, Alan has practical expertise in a wide variety of industries, with clients from Publishing (Scholastic, Simon & Schuster), Education (New York Institute of Finance, NYU), Risk Management (PriceWaterhouse Coopers, A&A), Showbiz (Dick Clark Corporate Productions, Ray Bloch Productions) and many others. In the public sector he's consulted for the New York State Office of Mental Health and the Westchester County Department of Child Welfare.

Alan continues to consult on large- and small-scale projects in the areas of Database Systems, Browser-based Applications, Mobile Solutions, and Software Development. Learn more about Alan at his web site.

Visiting Associate Professor of Computer Science

Professor Naumov has Diploma in Mathematics from Moscow State University and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University, both with specialization in Logic. His present research is focused on logical systems for reasoning about multi-agent systems, information flow, formal epistemology, social networks, and game theory. Pavel coauthored over twenty peer-reviewed publications with undergraduate students. Previously, he has published papers on proof complexity, type theory, automated deduction, and modal logics. Pavel is teaching Computer Science I: Problem-Solving and Abstraction, Foundations of Computer Science, Language Theory and Computation, and Special Topics course on Foundations of Multiagent Systems.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Simon Ellis received his PhD in 2016 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, specialising in the application of cognitive computing to artificially intelligent agents for complex board, card and role-playing games. This remains the primary focus of his research, although he is also interested in “non-educational” computer games which permit learning as a 'side-effect' of playing the game: in particular, using such a game to help high school students to learn and understand basic computer science concepts without actively learning them. Some of his other interests include programming languages, software development, philosophy, and design, of A.I., and just about anything to do with games.

Systems Administrator, 2015-2019

After enjoying an almost 25 year stint with IBM, Jerry sought a new challenge and became Computer Science's sysadmin in February, 2015. He earned his B.S. in Information Systems from Marist College.

Departmental Administrative Assistant. Linda originally started work for Vassar in 2006 for the department of Chinese & Japanese, and is now enjoying work with the CS faculty and students. She has spent the many years since graduating from Swarthmore College on a variety of adventures, some paid but many not. Highlights include providing pastoral care for people with terminal illnesses, for seriously ill patients at Westchester Medical Center as well as in local hospitals and nursing homes, and for search and rescue workers at Ground Zero on a weekly basis for 8 months following 9/11. As non-medical personnel she has suited up to enter an operating room, held tiny premature newborns, ridden with patients in the working area of ambulances, and appreciated high-speed driving skills from the back seat of a cruiser as a police officer rocketed through congested NYC traffic. At times Linda's adventures have had the makings of a fast-paced book, but thus far she has preferred to edit the work of others.

Systems Administrator Steve Beare Obtained his B.S. in Computational Mathematics from The University of Manchester Institue of Science and Technology, Manchester, UK. He has been working with UNIX varieties since the late 1980's. Steve started as a Pilot with the Royal Air Force, before an accident forced him to change directions. He began working with Computers professionally in 1989 and has worked on High Performance Computing projects with Companies such as Total Oil, IBM, and Siemens. He spends his free time Flying, and rescuing retired racing Greyhounds.

Greg Priest-Dorman, Systems Administrator and Lab Coordinator March 1992 - July 2011. Greg came to Vassar as a student in 1978 and began working in the Computer Science Department that Fall. He returned to the department in 1992 as a part time Faculty Research Associate and became our full time Sys Admin shortly thereafter. We wish Greg all the best in his new position at Google!

We wish Elle the best in her retirement as the departmental administrative assistant with thanks for 30 wonderful years!

Systems Administrator, August 2011 - June 2013

Ben Stoutenburgh earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Marist College. He started his server administration career there as a freshman and moved up to full time work totaling eight years of experience. He has since worked briefly in the private sector and is now back to academia. He fuels his interests in linux and open source technologies by aiding in organizing meetings for the Mid Hudson Valley Linux and Open Source Users Group and the Hudson Valley Drupal Users Group. Ben's ramblings can be read on his blog at parazoid.net or follow him on twitter, @maristgeek. We wish Ben all the best in his new position at Acquia!

We wish Elle the best in her retirement as the departmental administrative assistant with thanks for 30 wonderful years!