Computer Science News

On the last Wednesday of term about 250 6th formers, teachers and employers converged on the Department of Computer Science at Warwick for a conference Computing Your Future. The purpose was to inspire school students with the astonishing possibilities and challenges that computing now offers and to inform them about the great variety of computing degrees and also the excitement of the numerous career paths that can follow after such degrees. The conference was one of about a dozen similar events across the country during National Science Week sponsored by the Computing At School (CAS) movement and the British Computer Society. Lunch at the event was very generously sponsored by the local branch of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Further support was provided from the British Computer Society and CAS.

The day began, and ended, with plenary sessions addressed by staff from both Warwick and Coventry universities including a remarkably inspiring final talk from Peter Dickman – an Engineering Manager at the Google Zurich Office. The main work of the day went on in a series of Workshops which participants attended in small groups. There were 17 of these in parallel ranging from Haptic Interaction with Virtual Scenes to First Steps with Greenfoot, and from A Day in the Life of a Video Game Programmer to Ethical Hacking and Network Security. Several Computer Science students (as well as staff) from both Warwick and Coventry Universities helped to lead these workshops. There were also a wide variety of employers – both recent graduates and experienced managers – giving a detailed and practical insight into the huge range of jobs that are calling out for computing-qualified graduates.

The lead organiser of the event, Steve Russ of Computer Science at Warwick, was assisted by staff from Warwick Manufacturing Group and Coventry University as well as the Coventry and Warwickshire LEA. The success of the day depended in large measure on a team of 32 Warwick students who enthusiastically welcomed and guided groups around the numerous venues and helped to run workshops. There were 15 local schools represented and we hope a new CAS Hub can be formed soon which will help to support and share resources among ICT/Computing teachers on a regular on-going basis.