Sub Ubi

About this blog

This blog is the genesis of “How do you Compile,” a weblog I maintained for several years. Given that most of my (online) writing is made available through the weblogs Concurrency Everywhere, On Walkabout with Greenfoot, and CS-Ed.org, it seemed like it was time to freshen things up.

Here, you’ll find my own (personal) writings, as well as the aggregation of my writing elsewhere. Sub Ubi means, directly translated from Latin, Under Where.

Official bits

During the 2007/2008 academic year, I was visiting faculty at Olin College. This was an excellent year, and am excited to be starting at Allegheny College during the autumn of 2008.

My curriculum vitae is available online.

Bio

I completed my PhD in Computer Science at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England in July of 2006. My research focused on the interaction of the novice programmer with the compiler; in particular, the Java compiler as mediated by BlueJ, a pedagogic programming environment widely used for introducing object-oriented programming to beginners. I have also long been involved with finding innovative ways of teaching programming with the LEGO Mindstorms, an affordable and versitile programmable robotics kit from the LEGO Group.

A brief, personal history

While at Kenyon College, I thoroughly enjoyed my time majoring in Physics, as well as singing with the Kenyon College Chamber Singers, the Chasers, and Lost in Gambier, a barbershop quartet you probably have not heard of. I proceeded to study Computer Science at Indiana University Bloomington, where I developed a healthy appreciation for the design and implementation of programming languages. After taking my qualifying exams, I made my way to the University of Kent to work with Sally Fincher and the most excellent Computer Science Education Research Group. I have considered each of these places a home.