Computer Science and Computer Engineering
Computer Scientists generally specialize in the software side of computing. They put emphasis on programming, which allows them to write new software that could make a computer run faster and more efficiently. They can also translate code from one language to another, so that the same program can run on a different system. Computer Scientists might administer the network for a fortune 500 company, write a program that teaches a robot how to walk, or develop a new hi-tech security system for the government.
Computer Engineers deal with the software and the hardware aspect of computing. They design entire computer systems and networks and are responsible for giving hardware the ability to run the software. A Computer Engineer could build a retinal scanner that checks an employee’s eyes and checks the scan against an image template, design a high-speed computer for a research company, or research new material that could make computers faster and smaller.
Example Areas of Study
- Bioinformatics and Biomolecular Computing – Using computers to solve biological problems, such as sequencing the human genome or diagnosing cancer. In Biomolecular Computing, computers are built from biomolecules, like DNA, to solve complex problems and store massive amounts of information.
- Artificial Intelligence – Developing models for knowledge that computers can use to reason, plan, see, hear, speak, and answer questions in natural languages, such as a robot that can see using video cameras or an intelligent enemy on a video game.
- Computer Architecture – Combines computer science and engineering knowledge to organize and design computers, as well as the software that interfaces a computer program to the electronics that execute the program.
- Security and Information Protection – Protecting personal and public information through encoding systems that allow only certain people to access the information, such as in a CIA mainframe computer.
- Computer Networking – Study of how computers talk to one another and how people interact with machines. Computer networks allow people to access information on the Internet and send messages all the way around the world in a matter of seconds.
- Theory of Languages, Systems, and Environments – Includes the use, analysis, development, and theory of computer languages. This area involves understanding how programming languages operate and the efficient translation of one language to another.
- Robotics and Cognitive Sciences – Studying human psychology and physiology to learn how we acquire, represent, and apply knowledge. This is used to teach robots and machines to behave and think as human beings do. This field could produce a robot to completely and independently take care of a disabled person.
- Embedded, Distributed, and Parallel Systems – Developing systems of computers that can work as individuals within a larger system (embedded), as individual members of a team with each performing different tasks (distributed), or as a collection of processors working together on one large, complicated task (parallel). These systems are used everywhere including hospitals to monitor patients, businesses to communicate internationally, and research institutions to perform large calculations.
CSCE at University of Arkansas
- Ties to the working world – Computers touch everyone’s daily life. Therefore, computer science and computer engineering students find employment in a wide variety of environments.
- Student Organizations – Students have the opportunity to join societies such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), which provide technical and social opportunities for members and serve the university community.
- Programming Team – Consistently ranks among the top teams in the United States at the ACM/IBM Intercollegiate Programming Contest. The University of Arkansas team has qualified to compete at the world finals for several consecutive years.
- Accreditation – The Computer Engineering program has been continuously accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) since 1989.
