School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/
What is the Roadshow?
A presentation by SCS students aimed at broadening
public understanding of computer science.
Goals:

To show computer science as a broad and exciting field with the
potential for diverse participants

To challenge stereotypes

To show the breadth of the field


To get students (and parents and teachers) excited about the field
and its possibilities
To leave audiences wanting to find out more …hopefully through
further studies
Roadshow Details
Teams of 3/4/5 Student Presenters (women and men):
•
•
Undergraduates
Graduates: representing Computer Science, Robotics,
Language Technologies, Human Computer Interaction
Software Engineering, and more……..
Audiences:
•
•
•
•
K-12 boys and girls (mostly Middle/High School)
Teachers, Parents, Educators
Undergraduate men and women
CS community e.g. conference audiences
Time Commitment and Travel:
•
•
•
One 1 hour practice session (or 2 practices for beginners)
Outreach day depends on location –from 1 hour total to 2 hours
Transportation by CMU outreach bus
What’s in it for Presenters?….

Public speaking and presenting experience

Team work experience

Teach and talk about subjects you enjoy
(teaching/explaining helps you learn)

Build a broader resume

It’s different and it’s Fun!
Presenting in the Middle School
Classroom
Presenting at the Western PA School
for the Deaf
Presenting at AAAS
(American Association for Advancement of Science)
Presenting in a Local Coffee Shop
8
SCS Students Present the Roadshow
•
•
We would not use all of the following slides in one Roadshow.
The Roadshow team selects which slides they want to use …
…….and/or add new ones…
It is important to have lots of interaction, especially with very young
audiences –we include at least one puzzle/game, one short video and
conclude with a demo of our robot dog.
School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/
Who We Are
JJ
Jana
Stephen
Jenn
Jason
Eric
Computer
Science
is all about solving
problems…
…and using the computer to
solve some very difficult
problems.
Who is a Computer Scientist?
Ready to guess
YES!
YES!
YES!
No!
She’s a CMU Astro Physicist
YES!
YES!
What Is Computer
Science?
Computer Science is
about problem solving
Lets solve a problem!
In computer science we build Algorithms…
a sequence of steps/instructions to solve a problem
Note: Here we ask for 4 volunteers to act out the parts of the farmer, the wolf, the
sheep and the carrot—identified by different hats. Sometimes the children need a little
help to solve the problem.
Problem Solving
A farmer has to get a sheep, a
carrot and a wolf over the river
to the grassy field.
BUT he can only take one of
them with him at a time …
Problem Solving
BUT if left alone,


The wolf will eat
the sheep
The sheep will eat
the carrot
Getting Everyone Across River
Alive!
It’s MAGIC!! …….
…….Or is it?
School of Computer Science
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/
The Magic of Computer Science!
Our Amazing Program:
Carry on conjuring
 The 21 card trick
 The out of body experience
 The remote control brain experiment

Tricks from : CSUnplugged and CS4FN
For more tricks from and information check out:
Computer Science For Fun
http://www.cs4fn.org/
Computer Science Unplugged
http://csunplugged.org/
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?

Help athletes perform better?
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?

Help athletes perform better?

Create pieces of art?
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?

Help athletes perform better?

Create pieces of art?

Help the environment?
Crimes and the Internet
Who Uses the Internet?
Who Uses E-mail and IM?
Who has Internet connection at home?
Some Examples:

Purchasing music, movies, and t.v. shows

Managing money (online banking)

Ordering food

Getting directions

Playing games

And SO many others…
Here’s the BAD news…

Crime has followed the same trend and gone
online as well…

Introducing CYBERCRIME
Artificial Intelligence (computer bots)
vs Humans
How CAPTCHAs weed out the bots
The CAPTCHA & reCAPTCHA projects was developed by computer scientists
from the Aladdin Center at Carnegie Mellon http://www.captcha.net
Cryptography
Key
A=N
B=O
C=P
D=Q
Can you break the code?
E=R
F=S
G=T
FPVRAPR
H=U
I=V
J=W
K=X
L=Y
M=Z
Cryptography
Key
A=N
B=O
C=P
D=Q
Can you break the code?
E=R
F=S
G=T
FPVRAPR
SCIENCE
H=U
I=V
J=W
K=X
L=Y
M=Z
What about Computer Science
and Sports?
Motion Analysis
Raise your hand
if you think computer science can
help these athletes!
Troy Polamalu, football player
Troy Polamalu, football player
YES!
Jeanette Lee, pool player
Jeanette Lee, pool player
What Does Computer Science
have to do with Art?
Computer Animated Films...
Computer Animated Films …..
…are made by Computer Scientists
Computer Scientists take this...
And make this!
Coffee Shop Traveler Question
57
Coffee Shop Traveler Question
9
6
3
4
4
5
6
2
7
5
3
58
Can Computer Science
Help the Environment?
Going for a drive


You drive to an
intersection where
you can turn left or
right.
Which turn is faster to
make?
Going for a drive

If you turn left, how
many lanes do you
have to cross?
Going for a drive

How about a right
turn?
That’s Not Important.
Actually, yes it is!
Cars use a lot of gas.

Yes, they do.

Even when they’re stopped.

Even when you’re checking
three lanes to see if cars are
coming.
So let’s use less gas.

So, turning right is faster

And it saves you gas
But I don’t want to turn Right


It’s true that one right turn might not save you
any time at all, if you really just want to go left.
But you know who makes a lot of right turns?
The Mailman Does!



This guy makes a lot of
right turns.
He used to make a lot of
left turns too.
But not anymore.
He doesn’t have to go Left


90% of the time, he goes right.
United Parcel Services (UPS) uses computer
algorithms to find out how he can visit all the
streets he needs to go to, making very few left
turns.
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?

Help athletes perform better?

Create pieces of art?

Help the environment?
Can Computer Science...

Help solve crimes?

Help athletes perform better?

Create pieces of art?

Help the environment?
YES!
Human Computer Interaction
Does your computer ever make you feel like this?
Human Computer Interaction
Computer scientists working in human computer interaction work to make
computers easier to use.
Human Computer Interaction
So that hopefully you feel less frustrated when using your computer
Design,
Psychology,
Computer Science
What is Programming?




A computer can only do what it is told to do
A program is a set of instructions telling a
machine what to do
Programming involves learning how to write
instructions that do specific tasks
COMPUTER SCIENCE IS SO MUCH
MORE!
Let’s program Kempy the Robot
to make a jelly sandwich!
Note: For this exercise you will need a loaf of bread,
napkins, a plastic knife and a jar of jelly. One SCS
student is the “robot” who can only follow very precise
instructions. The audience gives instructions.
Robotics
Camera
Sonar
Laser range-finders
Sense
Planning
Scheduling
Machine Learning
Manipulation
Locomotion
Navigation
Plan
Act
Robotics
Camera
Sonar
Laser range-finders
Sense
Planning
Scheduling
Machine Learning
Manipulation
Locomotion
Navigation
Plan
Act
Some of our Favorite
Robots
Robocup (video)
Robot Vision (video)
Computer Science is
Part of Many Fields!
Health!
Biology!
Math!
Puzzles!
Games!
Art!
Graphics!
Music!
Sports!
Recreation
!
Think about your interests…..
You can bet computer scientists are
working in these areas!
Useful Skills for CS

Computer science

Mathematics and logic

Join the math club (?)

Science

Join the robotics club (?)

Teamwork skills

Communication skills
What field has …?

The best-rated job, and 5 of the top 10
highest paid, highest growth jobs?

Shown strong job growth?

A severe shortage in college graduates?
Computer Science!
Where the Jobs Will Be
Graduates could work here!
Hardware & Software:
Microsoft
• Dell
• Sun
• IBM
• Intel
• Boeing
• Apple
•
Web Search:
Google
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• Yahoo
• Vivisimo
•
Finance:
Goldman Sachs
• Morgan Stanley
• Merrill Lynch
•
Consulting:
Accenture
• Deloitte & Touche
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
•
Arts & Entertainment:
Dolby
• Lucas Arts Film Company
• Pixar Animation Studios
• Walt Disney Imaging
•
Thank You!!
We are happy to answer any
questions