Class Journal Week 1

Hivanson Week 1 Journal Entry

Hailey

Kmill104 Week 1 Shared Journal Entry

Shared Journal Week 1: Dean and Andrew

Natalijas Journal Entry Week 1

1. Before reading the Denning articles (on your honor), answer the following questions;
   • When you hear the term computer science, what comes to mind? When I hear the term computer science I think about technology and how it has developed over the years. In particular things such as artificial intelligence and cyber security.
   • When older relatives or friends hear the term computer science, what do you think comes to their minds? Since I’m from Eastern Europe, computer science isn’t as developed there so I think that they would think about computer engineering and software development
   • When younger relatives or friends hear the term computer science, what do you think comes to their minds? I think that they would think about what they were taught in school about computer science. I know my younger sister would think about programming in particular
2. Before reading the Janovy chapter (on your honor), answer the following questions;
   • When you hear the term biology, what comes to mind? I mostly associate biology with learning about living things and how organisms interact with their environment to sustain life
   • Do you consider yourself a biologist? why or why not? I wouldn’t consider myself a biologist because I haven’t really done anything to research or contribute to the field.
3. After reading the Denning articles and the Janovy chapter, answer the following questions:
   • What was the purpose of these readings? The purpose of these readings was to firstly show us the importance of both computer science and biology. Secondly, for us to recognize that computer science and biology are involved in our lives even when we don’t think that they are. They are also so complex that they could be applied to multiple fields and that there will always be a use for them.
   • Which of the voices in the Voices of Computing article seem to appeal to you the most? I think that it would be the User. I use my computer daily for a variety of reasons. I also love that it keeps me connected to my family abroad so without the programmers, engineers, etc, I would not be able to do that. I
   • Apply one of the seven principles from the Computing is a Natural Science article to something as "non-computer-science"-y as possible, either from other subjects or your daily life. The Principle I chose was intractability (computation) because I ride horses and many times when I am approaching a jump I have to calculate if I have to make my horse go faster or slower and find the optimal distance to take off so that I don’t crash through the fence or knock the fence down.
   • What did you find most interesting or provocative about the Janovy reading? I found it most interesting when he told the story of how the new faculty professor at the University of Nebraska borrowed a computer but was unable to use it. I chose this because I found it inspiring that the professor and the students didn’t know how to use it but never gave up. By the end of the summer he was able to produce things didn’t even know he could. It also shows how as a society we develop. The next summer everyone had personal computers. I think that this is applicable to the majority of things in life. You never know the outcome unless you try it.
   • What does it mean to be a biologist? Do you consider yourself a biologist? Why or why not? After reading this, I do think that I am a biologist. Not necessarily a professional biologist, but in a way I am. I take classes in biology and am also very involved in nature. I like how the book mentions that there is so much to learn by just observing the world and asking the right questions, that way, anyone can really be a biologist.

Katie Miller

Before Denning

1. When I hear the term computer science, I think about the entry level commands I learned in my CMSI 1010 class. These include basic statements like print, add, and subtract. I think about how specific the syntax has to be in order for the code to successfully run and display your desired result.
2. When older relatives or friends hear the term computer science, they probably imagine a screen just filled with 0s and 1s and that has no meaning for them. They likely know that computer science has to do with computers and their function, but unless they had pursued a career in this field, they probably do not know much beyond that.
3. When younger relatives or friends here the term computer science, they likely have a better idea of the basic elements of coding. Coding classes have become more common in schools, and I know that many of my younger relatives and friends have acquired some knowledge about the field.

Before Janovy

1. When I hear the term biology, I think about many things. Biology encompasses so many different areas of life. It is primarily the study of life, and what processes are essential for functioning organisms on this planet. It includes the study of cells and how they interact with each other, and how these cells group together in order to ultimately result in an organism. Biology also looks at the interactions between species, both within their population and how they interact with others.
2. I would consider myself a biologist because of the courses I have taken at LMU. I have learned so much across different aspects of the field. I have also participated in experiments in my General Biology laboratory courses. Generally, I would consider a biologist to be someone who both studies biological concepts and experiments within the field.

After Reading Both Denning and Janovy

1. The purpose of the first articles was to show that computing is not just coding but is made up of many professions, which include engineers, mathematicians, and scientists. Programming itself is not always understood, and the intricacies within that field are reduced to just coding. Computation can be seen in almost all parts of life, as it is now the study of information processes, both natural and artificial. Computation can be seen across all fields and is an infinitely growing concept. These articles showed me that my understanding of computer science was incredibly narrow, as I had believed the myth that computing only involves programming. The book chapter showed me that being a biologist does not mean you have to work in a certain field or even have a job in science. You should instead have the values and worldview of all successful biologists, meaning you must be interested in all living organisms and see the world in the context of biological interactions. All three readings showed me that there are many more aspects of computer science and being a biologist than I had previously known.
2. The voice of the Biologist appealed to me the most. I think it is very interesting that information processes can be found in nature and do not belong to only artificial information systems. While I know how DNA transcription occurs, I had never considered that it is simply a computational process. This has given me a whole new way of thinking about biological processes and the computing that is required for cells and organisms to function properly.
3. Design can be applied to the way that I organize my closet. In my closet, everything belongs to a specific group that has a designated spot. Without this organization, it would be incredibly difficult to efficiently locate something I need. My closet needs to have a reliable design, if I mess up and toss my clothes somewhere instead of putting them in their correct spot, I will later need to go in and “debug” what has been misplaced. I also must take careful consideration of what spots I choose if the item of clothing could potentially be placed in multiple groups. It is important that it has more similarity to whichever group I choose, so that I will always know to look in that spot.
4. I found most interesting the emphasis on naturalism, and how Janovy considered an interest in naturalism to be fundamental for a career in biology. He noticed that in all his mentors, they somehow followed the naturalist tradition even if they were unaware of it. To be a successful biologist, one must have an interest in all organisms and their natural origin. I was also interested in his belief that biologists should hold a worldview where they see everything in the context of biology, which led me to realize that I had often been doing so, even if I wasn’t aware of it.
5. To be a biologist, you must consider your values, rather than what you do. It is one thing to have a job that is related or even unrelated to biology, but it is another to have the values of a biologist. Biologists have a unique worldview, where they see everything in the context of biological concepts or processes. They are different from other professions, who view things in the context of primarily human activity and what we do. Biologists study nature and see humans as a late-stage competitor for our world’s resources. To be a biologist, you must have an attachment to all living organisms, not just humans. Biologists must ask questions about the biosphere, and they must be open to potential investigations for everyday observations. They must also recognize both the complexity and uniformity that is present within organisms. Similarly, they must see the many types of relationships that exist between organisms and how environments are based on interdependency. And though there are many tools that can be used in the field of biology, these tools are not what make a biologist. We can use different fields of science or even the humanities to learn more about a subject, but a true biologist will be able to use these tools and then apply them based off of your own observations and understanding of the world. In some ways I would consider myself a biologist, because I feel that I do see the world as a biologist should and have an interest in all organisms. But I am still working towards being able to come up with the right questions and to apply my observations, specifically in an experimental context