Why study computer science?


Infact, computer technology is often central to
much scientific research.

This research
requires not just domain experts, such as
medical and environmental researchers, but
also people with deep knowledge of
computer technology who are able to
develop algorithms and complex
applications to facilitate scientific research.

This page highlights the many roles
computers play in these scientific
advancements and the many opportunities
that are available for those interesting in
applying their computer science expertise in
ways that are deeply meaningful to
humanity.


General Science:
All Science is Computer Science - George
Johnson, New York Times, March 25, 2001
Physics, biology, chemistry, neuroscience,
genetics, even sociology and
anthropology depend heavily on
computers. Increasingly, experiments are
done "in silica", that is, by developing and
experimenting with models of real
systems rather than the systems
themselves.


Robotics:
Robot's space debut 'giant leap for
tinmankind' - R& Daily, November 2, 2010
NASA is sending a humanoid robot to the
space station to assist human robots.

The Year in Robotics - Technology Review,
December 29, 2009
Highlights of robotic research in 2009,
including robots that learn improved
facial expressions, robots that aid in
rehabilitation, improved prosthetics, and
more.


Geology:
Mother Earth gets undressed - Nature, July
31, 2008
Earth scientists and computer scientists
have collaborated to produce the first
global digital geological map, allowing
you to see rocks underground
everywhere.


Health and Medicine:
A Search Engine for the Human Body -
Technology Review, March 11, 2011
Microsoft researchers have developed a
tool that can analyze CT scans and locate
organs and provide both 2D and 3D
views of the organ. These images can be
matched to previous scans to help detect
changes in the organ.
Fuzzy Thinking Could Spot Heart Disease Risk
- Science Daily, Sept. 16, 1960
Researchers at Anna University in India
are using fuzzy logic and neural
networks to help identify people at high
risk for cardiovascular disease.
Inside the Swine Flu Virus - Texas Advanced
Computer Center, May 27, 2009
A team of researchers led by Klaus
Schulten (from the Department of Physics,
U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and
Thanh Truong (Department of Chemistry,
U. of Utah) have been using high
performance computers to look inside
the flu virus and study how antiviral
medications interact with its proteins.
Studying Epidemics in Virtual Worlds -
Business Week, May 7, 2009
Computer models are used to study the
spread of disease and to help officials
decide when to close schools to prevent
further spread.
Duke Software Dramatically Speeds Enzyme
Design - Duke University News and
Communications, February 16, 2009
Researchers at Duke University have
developed software to help redesign
drugs to combat drug-resistant germs
much more quickly than is possible using
laboratory experimentation.
Software Improves and Predicts Outcome of
Lifesaving Children's Heart Surgery in 3D -
Georgia Institute of Technology, January 23,
2009
Researchers at Georgia Tech's School of
Interactive Computing have developed
Surmgen, software that allows cardiac
surgeons to manipulate a 3D model of a
pediatric patient's heart when planning
surgery.
UW Med Students Prepare With Cutting Edge
Technology - Seattle Post-Intelligencer,
January 4, 2009
Medical, nursing and pharmacology
students at the University of Washington
train on simulated environments before
working with humans.
Computers Help Docs Spot Breast Cancer on
X-rays - Associated Press, October 1, 2008
British researchers have performed a
rigorous experiment comparing the
ability of a single radiologist using
computer-aided detection software to
the ability of two radiologists without
support software in their ability to
identify breast cancern from
mammogram images. The results are that
these two techniques are equally
effective and superior to an individual
radiologist.