| White House official says the university walks the right path in computer science |
|
|
|
| Written by Johnathan Silver, The Shorthorn senior staff | ||||
| Wednesday, 18 November 2009 08:22 PM | ||||
  Chris Greer, assistant director from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, spoke about engineering and science in five dimensions Wednesday evening in Nedderman Hall. Greer was here as part of the College of Engineering’s 50th anniversary speaker series. (The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard) Greer, an assistant director from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, discussed Wednesday how computer science transcends the physical plane and includes a fifth dimension — cyberspace itself. Greer, who was the November speaker in the College of Engineering’s 50th anniversary speaker series, used 50 years as a theme to show attendees how far along the college and the world has come, in terms of technology. Greer began the lecture with a photo of a computer system used by the college in 1959. Today’s equivalent of the now 50-year-old machine is designed to sustain more than one quadrillion operations, a figure containing 15 zeros. The first computer system used would take billions of years to complete that many operations, Greer said. “You’ve come a long way as Mavericks,” he said. The Internet is a major division of cyberspace, used by more than a billion people on more than 200,000 networks, he said. And it’s important, especially for universities, to use the Internet to further what they already do on campus, Greer added. An example would be distance education and using the Web for outreach and recruitment techniques. The university is on the right track, ranking in the top six percent of universities worldwide, in terms of Web presence, he said. “That’s a very good number. You’re obviously doing things right,” he said. “I would challenge you as a university to build on opportunity. You obviously have a good start, and you have a goal of launching your university into the premier leagues, and this is going to be the environment in which universities will compete.” Greer said President Barack Obama recognizes a need to expand America’s role in the global economy, as it relates to science and technology. The administration released a strategy for American innovation including unleashing a clean energy revolution, promoting U.S. exports and restoring the nation’s leadership in research. “Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, and our health, and our way of life than it has ever been,” Greer said, citing Obama. An area the government wants to address is secondary and higher education, Greer said. Imran Parekh, a computer science and engineering junior, said he found the talk interesting. “It was good to find out about the current state of America from someone who is this high in the White House,” he said. Greer’s talk was well directed, said Bill Carroll, College of Engineering dean. “It touched on many important current issues and included facts that I didn’t know about,” he said. “I’m sure it will change the way a lot of attendees think and it might influence their careers.” After Greer promoted the growth of technology in his talk, an attendee asked if evolved computers could take over the world and kill humans. He said after watching a science fiction film with a similar plot, he didn’t approach his computer for days. Greer said technology might get to that point of higher intelligence, but the answer to the attendee’s question depends on the expert one asks. Views: 830 | E-mail
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 |
||||
| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 January 2010 03:31 PM ) | ||||
Be first to comment this article
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Copyright © 2005 - 2010 The Shorthorn.
