This newsletter is published biannually by the Student Advisory Board (SAB) of the Department of Computer Science at Northern Illinois University. The newsletter is intended to help our students become more informed about the activities and projects in which our department is involved. It is also sent to prospective students and employers seeking information about NIU's Department of Computer Science along with other information about the department.
The Computer Science Student Advisory Board fulfills the university requirement that each department have a student advisory board to provide student input on department practices and policies.
Other activities sponsored by the SAB include hosting an annual reception at Homecoming for alumni and conducting the department's teacher evaluations each semester and summer.
SAB INTERNAL COMMITTEES
OFFICERS
President: MARK RAIMONDI
Vice President: DEREK BAESSLER
Secretary: OLGA GARCIA
Treasurer: CHRISTOPHER BARBER
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO
DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEES
NEWSLETTER
MARK RAIMONDI
COLLOQUIUM
CHARLES CAIN
LA&S STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL
BRIAN BARTGEN
NIU/ACM STUDENT CHAPTER
LEO PISMAN
FALL 2003 EVALUATION OF TEACHING
Wednesday, November 19, 2003, and Thursday, November 20, 2003, have been designated for evaluating the department's teachers. Students are encouraged to participate responsibly in this exercise so that our teachers can obtain feedback on their teaching practices and performances.
The department relies heavily on these evaluations in making personnel decisions. In addition, the results of the evaluations play an important role in selecting the department's annual teaching excellence winner.
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE GRADUATE CURRICULUM
Curriculum changes are underway which will require all students graduating under the requirements of the 2003-2004 Graduate Catalog to complete the following in their 10-course programs:
CSCI 464: Data Structures
CSCI 466: Database/Data Communications
Software
CSCI 468: Systems Programming
and at least three of the following:
CSCI 530: Computer Networks
CSCI 563: Systems Design and Analysis
CSCI 567: Applied Systems Programming or
CSCI 568: Advanced Systems Programming
CSCI 588: Database Concepts
Under the new requirements, students must complete six three-hour 500-level courses, rather than seven as currently required.
1IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE GRADUATE CURRICULUM (cont.)
Students following the requirements of the 2003-2004 Graduate Catalog will also be required to know C and C++ (NIU’s CSCI 240 and CSCI 241), Basic Assembler Language (NIU’s CSCI 360), UNIX (NIU’s CSCI 330), and MVS/JCL (NIU’s CSCI 465 which now includes beginning instruction in COBOL). Students not having mastery of these subjects will be required to complete the appropriate course(s) on a deficiency basis.
To meet these requirements the department will offer the courses CSCI 530, CSCI 563, and CSCI 588 every fall and spring term. CSCI 567 will continue to be a fall only offering, and CSCI 568 will be available only in spring semesters. In Fall 2004, CSCI 466 will be a prerequisite for CSCI 588. Following past departmental practices, CSCI 464 and CSCI 466 will be available every fall, spring, and summer, and CSCI 468 will be available in fall and spring terms only.
The courses CSCI 565: Software for Teleprocessing, and CSCI 566: Local Networks, have been eliminated from the department's offerings and have been replaced by the courses CSCI 530 and CSCI 531: Network Application Programming. CSCI 531 can be taken by students who have prior credit for CSCI 565, CSCI 566, or CSCI 530. The prerequisite for CSCI 530 is CSCI 440 or CSCI 464, or consent of the department.
Current students whose programs of study call for CSCI 565 and/or CSCI 566 must schedule an appointment to redraw their plans of study if they have not completed either of these courses. CSCI 530 can be used as a replacement for either CSCI 565 or CSCI 566, and students who completed CSCI 565 or CSCI 566 prior to Fall 2002 can take either CSCI 530 or CSCI 531. CSCI 531 will be offered every spring semester.
1 The subject matters of CSCI 562: Analysis of Data Processing Systems, and CSCI 563 have been consolidated into the course CSCI 563, and CSCI 562 will no longer be offered. CSCI 563's prerequisite is CSCI 467. CSCI 563 can be taken by students with credit in CSCI 562 if that credit was earned prior to Fall 2002. Students whose programs of study call for the completion of CSCI 562, but who have not yet completed this course, must make an appointment to replace CSCI 562.
Concerning the Master’s Comprehensive Examination, students need to know the following:
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1CSCI 530 will be included as a possible test area in future Master's Comprehensive Examinations. Questions from the deleted CSCI 565 and CSCI 566 will be included on the comprehensive examination for those students who have completed these courses and who select this test area.
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1The Analysis and Design comprehensive test now includes questions from CSCI 467: Introduction to Systems Design and Analysis, and the revised CSCI 563. Questions from CSCI 562 and CSCI 563 as taught prior to Fall 2002 are also included.
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1At some point in the future, the department will convert the Database comprehensive test to a test on the subject matters of CSCI 466 and CSCI 588. During the transition period, questions from both CSCI 564: Database Systems, and CSCI 588 will be included.
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1At this time there are no changes being planned for the System Programming comprehensive tests.
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1As usual, the subject matter of CSCI 464 and CSCI 468 will also be tested.
1
GRADUATE STUDENTS
The department's Spring 2004 500-level 1graduate offerings are CSCI 530: Computer Networks; CSCI 563: Systems Design & Analysis; CSCI 568: Advanced Systems Programming; CSCI 575: Web Development; and CSCI 588: Data Base Concepts.
In addition to the graduate courses listed above, the following graduate courses with their indicated topics and teachers will be offered in Spring 2004:
1CSCI 531: Network Application Prog.
Dr. Ibrahim Onyuksel
CSCI 575: Web Development
Professor Penny McIntire
CSCI 580E-1: JAVA
Dr. Jie Zhou
CSCI 580E-2: JAVA
Dr. Jim Henry
CSCI 580R-1: Natural Language
Dr. Reva Freedman
CSCI 595: . NET Programming
Dr. Robert Zerwekh
1
Also, graduate students wanting to complete reading courses must secure permission from both the department and the individual teacher with whom they wish to read. The names of faculty eligible to offer graduate reading courses can be obtained from the department's receptionist, Frances Wissmiller.
Additional graduate courses are offered at the Multi-University Center, Suite 200, 1010 Jorie Blvd., Oak Brook, IL; at NIU-Hoffman Estates, Trillium Blvd., Hoffman Estates, IL; and at Rock Valley College's Stenstrom Center, 4151 Samuelson Rd., Rockford, IL. Interested graduate students should refer to the article, "Off-Campus Classes," which appears in this publication.
1GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
UNDERGRADUATES
Undergraduates may be allowed to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit if they have:
11) a minimum of 90 credit hours
2) completed CSCI 440 or 464
3) at least a 3.0 GPA
4) departmental permission.
Also, undergraduates who are scheduled to complete their graduation requirements this fall or spring without carrying a full load have the possibility for early admission into Graduate School. This option allows students to combine both undergraduate and graduate studies in their last semester of undergraduate work.
See the department's chair, Dr. RODNEY ANGOTTI, to investigate either of these possibilities if you are interested and believe that you are qualified.
1 In addition, undergraduates interested in attending graduate school in the field of computer science either at Northern or elsewhere are encouraged to speak with Dr. Angotti about their plans.
REMINDERS
1Pre-Majors
Spring 2004 applications for admission to the Department of Computer Science must be submitted between January 26, 2004 and February 20, 2004. Students attending school during the spring term at NIU who have not attended a pre-computer science declaration meeting should make arrangements to attend one of these meetings. Such arrangements can be made during the early weeks of the Spring 2004 term by contacting the department's receptionist, Frances Wissmiller, at PM460, Psychology/Computer Science Building.
1REMINDERS (cont.)
Majors
In Spring 2004, CSCI 230: FORTRAN, CSCI 240: C++, CSCI 241: C & C++, CSCI 250: COBOL, CSCI 330: UNIX, CSCI 360: Assembler, CSCI 440: Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, and CSCI 470: JAVA will be offered in conjunction with CSCI courses numbered 462 through 468.
In addition to the usual departmental offerings, the following topic courses will be available:
CSCI 461-P1: Computer Networks
Dr. Ibrahim Onyuksel
CSCI 461-P2: Natural Language
Dr. Reva Freedman
CSCI 490G-P1: Database Concepts
Dr. Eugene Sheng
CSCI 490J-P1: . NET Programming
Dr. Robert Zerwekh
CSCI 490M-P1: Web Development
Professor Penny McIntire
Students wanting to learn more about these courses should consult with the instructors indicated above.
Juniors and seniors interested in adding any of the above topic courses or other elective courses to their programs of study can do so by submitting written requests to the departmental office, PM460.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATES
Undergraduate Teaching Fellows
Applications for Spring 2004 Undergraduate Teaching Fellowships should be filed by November 24, 2003. The criteria for these awards include a GPA of 3.0 or above in computer science coursework. Interested computer science majors can obtain applications from the department's receptionist at PM460.
1Internships
You will discover that numerous well paid and interesting job opportunities are available to declared computer science majors.
Academic credit can be earned for these jobs through the department's internship course CSCI 390: Internship and, in the case of graduate students, CSCI 590: Internship. Earning credit for CSCI 390 is a convenient way to meet the three-hour 300-400 level elective requirement that declared undergraduate computer science majors must successfully complete.
The reports filed to meet the requirements for internship credit are also useful documents to include in students' job portfolios.
This year's Fall 2003 Internship Fair was Wednesday, October 8, 2003, in the Holmes Student Center. If you missed it, there will be another Internship Fair on Wednesday, February 11, 2004, at the Convocation Center. Put this date on your calendar and visit the Office of Cooperative Education to find out about the services available. Also, look for the announcements about the department's internship meetings held prior to the university's internship fairs.
JOB FAIRS
The Office of Career Planning and Placement conducted a job fair on October 15, 2003. The next scheduled job fair is on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 at the Convocation Center. Please consult the listing "Career Planning" under "Departments" at the web site www.stuaff.niu.edu for information about this important event.
Northern Illinois University’s fairs are among the largest campus-based job fairs in the country. In addition to these opportunities, Northern's Career Planning and Placement Center posts announcements on job fairs held on other regional campuses. Interested students can obtain additional information about these fairs from the web site mentioned above.
1REGIONAL COURSES
Editors' Note: Courses formerly referred to as "Off-Campus Courses" are now offically designated by the university as "Regional Courses." The information below concerns the department's Spring 2004 Regional Courses.
The department's Spring 2004 course offerings at the Multi-University Center, Suite 200, 1010 Jorie Blvd., Oak Brook, IL are: CSCI 465: External Data Structures, CSCI 468: Systems Programming, CSCI 563: System Design and Analysis, and CSCI 595 Software Quality Issues.
The department will also offer the following Spring 2004 courses at NIU-Hoffman Estates, 555 West Trillium Blvd., Hoffman Estates: CSCI 464: Data Structures, CSCI 467: Introduction to Systems Design & Analysis, and CSCI 588: Database Concepts.
Students can learn more about the offerings at NIU-Hoffman Estates at an Open House scheduled from 4:00-6:30 PM, Tuesday, December 2, 2003.
CSCI 440: Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, and CSCI 467: Introduction to Systems Design & Analysis, will be offered at the Stenstrom Center, Rock Valley College (RVC), 4151 Samuelson Rd., Rockford, IL in Spring 2004.
Questions about the department's Regional Courses should be directed to the Department of Computer Science (815-753-0378); information about graduate or student-at-large status can be obtained from Northern Illinois University's Graduate School -- Tel. No. 815-753-0395 or http://www.grad.niu.edu/apply.htm.
Undergraduate students not admitted to Northern who wish to pursue the General Computer Science Emphasis at the Stenstrom Center, RVC, should contact the Northern Illinois University's Office of Admissions for details.(http://www.admissions.niu.edu/
applyniu.html or Tel. No. 815-753-0446).
1 Commuting NIU undergraduates can enroll in classes at the Multi-University Center, at NIU- Hoffman Estates, or at the Stenstrom Center, RVC but must receive permission to do so. In addition, graduate students can complete available courses at the Stenstrom Center, RVC but also need permission to do so.
Additional information about Regional Courses can be found at the listing LAS-CSCI at http://www.outreach.niu.edu/rcc/.
ACM NEWS
The Student Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery(ACM) serves as a focal point for information regarding the advantages of being associated with this organization of computer professionals. As in the past, the ACM will sponsor speakers from industry to talk on various computer related topics.
Speakers from companies such as International Truck and Engine Corporation, IBM San Jose, Deere and Co., and Caterpillar, Inc. not only have described their particular "real world" of IT, but also have emphasized the importance of knowledge gained from NIU course material in their actual computer operations.
Other activities sponsored by the ACM Student Chapter include Homecoming receptions
for Computer Science alumni, job search preparation workshops, resume writing workshops, as well as workshops and seminars on other professional topics.
This year's officers for the Student Chapter of the ACM are as follows:
President: LEO PISMAN
Vice President: RICHARD POWERS
Secretary: CHUKA EZEOKE
Treasurer: J. STEVEN KIRTZIC
Look for the Student Chapter of the ACM's fliers posted around campus for announcements of additional activities, or on the department's home page, www.cs.niu.edu.
1COMPUTER SCIENCE RESIDENCY PROGRAM
One of the more attractive housing options made available by Student Housing at Northern Illinois University is the opportunity for students with common interests to live together on an academic floor.
Currently, the following choices are available: a business floor, a computer science floor, an engineering and technology floor, a foreign language floor, a residential freshman interest group floor, a health professions floor, a hearing-impaired interest floor, an honors floor, a music interest floor, a pre-law/political science floor, a teacher certification floor, and a women-in-science floor.
Dr. ROBERT RANNIE and Professor GEORGIA BROWN serve as the Department of Computer Science’s floor faculty advisor.
COLLOQUIUM NEWS
Dr. LIPING DI, Director, Laboratory for Advanced Information Technology at George Masson University, was the department's featured colloquium speaker for Fall 2003. Dr. Di delivered an address on October 3, 2003, entitled "Grid Technology and Its Applications in GeoInformation Science." His visit was cosponsored by the Department of Geography, and funds were provided for his visit by the Graduate Colloquium Committee.
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS
MAXIM BUSHMAKIN, Theoretical Computer Science, and MARK RAIMONDI, General Computer Science, were the recipients of the AG Communication Scholarships for the 2002-2003 academic year.
OLGA GARCIA, Theoretical Computer Science, was named the winner of the Caterpillar, Inc. scholarship for the 2003-2004 academic year.
1 MARK MOWERS, General Computer Science, was awarded a scholarship for the 2003-2004 academic year by the Midwest Chapter of the Open Door Education Foundation and Interactive Business Systems.
These scholarships are established by the above-mentioned companies in recognition of the contributions that graduates of the Department of Computer Science have made to their firms.
In addition, BRADLEY BROWN, Pre-Computer Science, and AARON VOSS, General Computer Science, were selected for Evelyn Nelson Scholarships.
The Evelyn Nelson Scholarships are funded by an endowment from Evelyn Nelson, a long time DeKalb resident, in recognition of her brother's involvement in the information technology industry.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS
The results from computer science graduates who have responded to university surveys are positive overall. For example, the recent survey of 1997 graduates (five years after graduation) shows that: 100% of respondents were satisfied with their current jobs; 93% held jobs related to their bachelor’s degree major; 79% felt that their bachelor’s degree prepared them well or very well for their present job; and 100% of the respondents had a positive attitude toward their bachelor’s degree major.
Results for the recent survey of 2001 graduates (one year after graduation) were somewhat less positive, although still quite good: 85% of respondents were still satisfied with their current jobs; 78% held jobs related to their bachelor’s degree major; 64% felt that their bachelor’s degree prepared them well or very well for their present job, while another 22% felt they were prepared adequately; and 82% of the respondents had a positive attitude toward their bachelor’s degree major.
1HIGHLIGHTS FROM ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS (cont.)
We attribute the slight fall off in positive results to the unfavorable job climate overall and the particularly unfavorable IT job climate encountered by the graduates of 2001. Many of these graduates were forced to accept jobs in areas that were not their undergraduate areas of specialization.
The department’s surveys of graduating students reveal that 95% feel they are able to write, in a reasonable amount of time, computer programs that are substantial, correct, well documented, and easily understood by other programmers. The vast majority of graduates strongly agree or agree that the various other objectives of their emphasis were also met.
Two survey instruments obtain employers’ views of our students. The survey managed by Cooperative Education indicates that 94% of our graduates learn readily, 95% produce a quality of work rated as excellent or very good, and 83% were rated with an overall performance well above standard or above standard.
The survey the department sends to employers shows similar results. One hundred percent of the responses rated our students as outstanding or good in analytical ability, technical ability, quality of work, learning ability, initiative, attitude, and overall performance. Ninety percent of the responses stated that the department’s interns were above average when compared to computer science interns from other universities.
COGNITIVE SCIENCE AT NIU
The NIU Cognitive Science initiative is the brainchild of Dr. FREDERICK KITTERLE, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It began in 2000 with the hiring of four faculty members. The Department of Anthropology hired Dr. GIOVANNI BENNARDO. The Department of English hired Dr. BETTY BIRNER. And the Departments of Computer Science and Psychology 1hired Doctors REVA FREEDMAN and Dr. KATJA WIEMER-HASTINGS, respectively. NIU has many other faculty members interested in Cognitive Science. These include Dr. JIE ZHOU from the Department of Computer Science and Doctors ANNE BRITT, JOSEPH MAGLIANO, and KEITH MILLIS from the Department of Psychology.
In the last decade, due to new developments in neuroscience and rapid improvements in Computer Science, it has become clear that researchers from different departments working together could make great strides in their understanding of the mind. As a result, many universities began to establish interdisciplinary research units and even departments of Cognitive Science.
Cognitive Science is the study of the mind. In all sciences, researchers study different aspects of the topic using a variety of methods. Dr. Bennardo studies human cultures as a way to approach the mind, while Dr. Birner studies language use by humans as a gateway to the mind. Dr. Freedman specializes in the simulation of human mental processes by computers, and Dr. Weimer-Hastings attempts to understand human mental processes empirically. While each of the four faculty members has their own specialty, one thing they all have in common is an interest in language.
Each fall, two of the four core faculty members co-teach ILAS 261: Language, Mind and Thought - An Introduction to Cognitive Science. This course is included in the Interdisciplinary Studies section of the Distributive Studies Area in the General Education Program. It includes an introduction to each of the areas included in Cognitive Science.
For students interested in a more in-depth study of cognitive science and language, there are more than thirty undergraduate courses taught by various departments. Departments offering these courses include Anthropology, Computer Science, English, Philosophy, and Psychology.
1COGNITIVE SCIENCE AT NIU (cont.)
In the Spring 2004 semester, those courses will include ANTH 230: Anthropology of Language, ANTH 331: Language and Culture, CSCI 461-P2: Natural Language, ENGL 318: Language and Linguistics, ENGL 433: Discourse Analysis, and PSYC 345: Cognitive Psychology.
In Computer Science, the Artificial Intelligence course is a survey of a variety of techniques in computer simulation of human intelligence. The Natural Language course, to be given for the first time in Spring 2004, will address the knotty problem of using computers to understand English, with obvious extension to other human languages. Human languages are challenging to handle with software because they do not follow the rules of mathematical logic and because common sense knowledge, which computers do not have, is often required to understand even simple sentences.
Within the Computer Science Department, Dr. Freedman studies how students and teachers learn by simulating both teacher and student behavior, using rule-based systems and a logic-based knowledge representation. Dr. Zhou’s research includes the use of neural networks. Both professors are interested in applications of machine learning. If you are interested in learning more about Artificial Intelligence or Cognitive Science, all of the professors mentioned in this article would be happy to discuss their research and courses with you during their office hours or by appointment.
You might also find the series of talks on tutoring systems that the Cognitive Science Team has been conducting this semester to be of interest. Future talks are scheduled for November 5, November 12, November 19, and December 3 in Reavis Hall, Room 211, 12:30-1:30 PM.
ALUMNI NEWS
THOMAS CARLSON (B.S. 1997) is a trainer at Electronic Theatre Controls in Middleton, Wisconsin. He resides in Madison, Wisconsin.
1TIM CHEVALIA (B.S. 1980) is an Associate Business System Manager for Kraft Foods in Northfield, Illinois. He resides in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, with his wife, Carol, and two sons.
ARLENE (AGSALUD) DELACRUZ (B.S. 1998) is a Programmer Analyst for United Airlines in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. She resides in Gilberts, Illinois.
LISA (SMITH) DESIMONE (B.S. 1992) is a Systems Manager with Discover Financial Services in Riverwoods, Illinois. She resides in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
WAYNE DRISCOLL (B.S. 1988) is a Senior Product Architect with Quest Software in Warrenville, Illinois. He and his wife, Martha, reside in Westmont, Illinois.
JEFF FORSYTHE (B.S. 1976) is a Director of Information Technology with Nilfisk-Advance, Incorporated in Plymouth, Minnesota. He resides in Plymouth.
T.F. GAZIANO (B.S. 1995) is a Technical Engineer with SBC Communications in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. He resides in Rockford, Illinois.
RICK HOGAN (B.S. 1982) is a Senior Technical Specialist with Zurich North America in Schaumburg, Illinois. He resides in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, with his wife, son and daughter.
JEFFREY JOHNSON (B.S. 1991) is an independent contractor in the construction business. He resides in Woodstock, Illinois.
DAVID KATHAN (B.S. 1986) is Director of the Indianapolis location of Software Architects, Incorporated in Indianapolis, Indiana. He resides in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife, Linda, and two sons.
R.C. MACK (B.S. 1996) is the UNIX System Administrator for SBC Public Communications in Chicago, Illinois. He resides in Carpentersville, Illinois.
1ALUMNI NEWS (cont.)
KELLY (SNOWDON) MCGUIGGAN (B.S. 1986) is an Implementation Consultant for EMC Corporation in Syracuse, New York. She resides in East Syracuse, New York.
MARK MONAGHAN (B.S. 1983) is Senior Director of the Solution Partner Program for Uniform Code Council, Incorporated in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He resides in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Janet.
PEI-LAN (YAO) MORGENROTH (B.S. 1984) is an Application Programmer for Blue Cross, Blue Shield in North Carolina. She resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
JONATHAN NIEDFELDT (B.S. 1986) is Vice President of Software Development for Vision Ventures, Greenwood Technology of Auckland, New Zealand. He resides in Highland, Vermont.
BRIAN PAUTSCH (B.S. 1997) is President of New Vision Web Solutions in Glendale Heights, Illinois, an independent consulting firm. He resides in Glendale Heights, Illinois.
PRASHANT PURANIK (B.S. 1992) is a Software Architect with Unique Computing Solutions, Incorporated in Homewood, Illinois. He resides in Vernon Hills, Illinois.
DAVID RASK (B.S. 1994) is Designer of Webservices and Internet Business Technology for Anixter, Incorporated in Glenview, Illinois. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.
JUSTIN REID (B.S. 2002) is employed as a Business Systems Analyst, at Household International, WoodDale, Illinois. He resides in WoodDale, Illinois.
ADAM RIRIE (B.S. 1987) is a Senior Software Engineer for Quest Software in Warrenville, Illinois. He resides in Darien, Illinois.
1ELIZABETH (MAY) SALTMARSH (B.S. 1993) is Site Leader for Central DuPage Health of Winfield, Illinois. She resides in Carol Stream, Illinois.
ADELE (KYTE) SHIVDASANI (M.S. 1982) is a Database Administrator for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, daughter and son.
SCOTT SIMMONS (B.S.1987) is an Advisory Software Engineer for the IBM Corporation, Raleigh, NC. He resides in Raleigh with his wife and two children.
KAREN (OSLOWSKI) TIEDMANN (B.S. 1985) is currently a stay-at-home mom, having served previously in many positions, including Programmer, for Peoples Energy Corporation. She resides in Glenview, Illinois, with her husband and three children.
ANDREI VOROBYHOV (M.S. 1996) is a student at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.
JOHN VOLMER (M.S. 1981 M.B.A. University of Chicago, 1991) is on the Computing Staff at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois. He resides in Downers Grove, Illinois.
MELANIE (HILLER) WEIZEDRICK (B.S. 1994) is a Project Manager for First Options of Chicago-A Goldman Sachs Company in Chicago, Illinois. She resides in Aurora, Illinois with her husband, Phil, and daughter.
MICHAEL WENC (B.S. 1979) is Director of Enterprise Operations for Zurich North America in Schaumburg, Illinois. He resides in Bartlett, Illinois, with his wife, Diane, and three sons. His son, Michael, is currently a student at N.I.U.
ERIC WINTER (B.S. 1990) is a Principle Business Consultant for Honeywell ACP in Freeport, Illinois. He resides in Freeport, Illinois.
1NEW FACULTY AND STAFF
The SAB welcomes Dr. JIA ZHANG to the department. Dr. Zhang earned her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Her major research areas are software engineering and web services. Dr. Zhang is currently teaching a section of CSCI 480: Theoretical Operating Systems.
The SAB also congratulates Fran Wissmiller, the department's receptionist, and her husband, Kevin, on the birth of their daughter, Isabel Grace.
A SAD NOTE
Professor ANN STUDWELL died on April 30, 2003, after a courageous battle with cancer. Ann was the department's representative to the Chicago Technology Professional Education Council and served as the department's coordinator of COBOL courses since she joined the faculty in 1986.
1 Ann was selected as the department's outstanding teacher for 2002-2003 in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the department.
The SAB offers its condolences to Ann's husband, William, and her daughter, Laura.
1HOME PAGE ADDRESSES
1DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
1http://www.cs.niu.edu
1GRADUATE SCHOOL
1http://www.grad.niu.edu
1COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
1http://www.clas.niu.edu
1UNIVERSITY
1http://www.niu.edu
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Anonymous
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