Lee Barney

Professor of Computer Science, Brigham Young University-Idaho

Twenty eight years ago, I entered the industry. In that time, I’ve been a senior software engineer, a junior programmer, a CEO, a product manager, an independent consultant, and pretty much everything in-between these. I have worked on mission-critical software for the semiconductor industry and began my own mobile-software startup company. Now I am a Professor of Computer Science and work to bring all those experiences into the classroom to help others succeeded in and love our industry.

Talk:
Diving In: a Case Study of Using FP and Erlang in a Computer Science Curriculum

Change can be hard, especially when everyone has input but not detailed experience. At BYU-Idaho we faced an outdated CS undergraduate curriculum that did not meet Higher Education or industry, and therefore student, needs. In a dramatic and complete rewrite of our CS curriculum, Functional Programming and Erlang became a large part of the solution to our problem.

Talk objectives:

  • Initialize and frame an ongoing discussion with employers to better meet their needs for knowledgeable employees.
  • Inform an ongoing discussion with undergraduate and graduate institutions regarding adoption of FP and Erlang in CS curricula.
  • Point out roadblocks to and advantages of including FP and Erlang in student learning experiences.
  • Help employers know there are students graduating with FP and Erlang experience.

Target audience:

  • Employers looking for graduates with FP and Erlang experience.
  • Undergraduate Educators looking to increase the viability of their students as those students move on to employment or graduate studies.