Course overview

Welcome to CMPINF 0010! Computing and information systems underlie nearly every facet of life in today’s highly-networked societies. Accordingly, there are many paths through the degree programs offered by the School of Computing and Information, each focusing on different aspects of the theories, practices, and applications of computing and information. This course will introduce you to a variety of core principles and important themes that cross-cut this array of computing- and information-oriented disciplines, as well as explore the types of work that individuals educated in these disciplines engage in.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Articulate intuitive definitions for each of the “big ideas” discussed in class
  • Uncover and differentiate underlying computational and informational aspects of a variety of natural, social, and engineered systems
  • Leverage computational and informational abstractions and ideas to navigate the technical and social issues arising at the interfaces between complex, interacting systems
  • Identify the similarities and differences in methodology, applications, and abstraction that exist between computational and information disciplines
  • Situate computing and information practices within a socio-cultural context
  • Develop scripts demonstrating a mastery of basic concepts in the Python programming language (data structures, control flow, functions and modules)
  • Navigate Unix-based systems, manipulate files, and execute programs
  • Break down and back up work, as well as collaborate with others using a distributed version control system
  • Generate, transform, and manipulate data using the Python programming language
  • Generate and publish mixed media content on the web using Markdown and Static HTML sites

Here is a link to the tentative course schedule

Instructor

Name: Arjun Chandrasekhar (he/him/his)
Email: arjunc@pitt.edu
Lectures:
  • Section 1010: Monday/Wednesday 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm in Cathedral of Learning 324
  • Section 1200: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30 am - 10:45 am in Cathedral of Learning 232
Student Hours: Monday-Thursday 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm in Sennot Square 6305 or by appointment
  • I really cannot overemphasize this enough. If none of the listed student hours work for you then email me to set up something else. Please don't give up on getting the help you need because you reasonably but mistakenly interpreted the listed student hours to be set in stone!

Grader

Victoria Clarchick
Email: VLC24@pitt.edu
Victoria will grade all of your written assignments.

Assistant (to the) Regional Instructor

Dhruv Nathanwi
Email: dhn11@pitt.edu
Dhruv will curate and grade the skills labs and final project.

Undergrad Teaching Assistants (UTAs)

Our wonderful UTAs will run skills labs and evaluate your final projects. All in-person UTA student hours will be at the Digital Scholars Commons in Hillman Library.

Benjamin Rucker
Email: BDR35@pitt.edu
Skills Lab (section 1040): Friday 11:00 am - 12:50 pm in Benedum G27
Student Hours:
  • Monday 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Thursday 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
Diego Jurado
Email: diego.jurado@pitt.edu
Skills Lab:
  • Section 1050: Friday 9:00 am - 10:50 am in Benedum 158
  • Section 1030: Friday 11:00 am - 12:50 pm in Cathedral of Learning 363
Student Hours:
  • Tuesday 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Wednesday 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Wednesday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Thursday 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
Evan Kozierok
Email: evan.kozierok@pitt.edu
Skills Lab (Section 1210): Friday 11:00 am - 12:50 pm in Eberly 206
Student Hours:
  • Wednesday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Wednesday 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Evan will also hold student hours for CMPINF 401 on Monday from 3:00 - 5:00 pm and Friday from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm in Digial Scholars Commons. You are free to go to Evan for help during these times, although he will prioritize helping students in CMPINF 401.
Julianne Kruse
Email: JUK99@pitt.edu
Skills Lab (Section 1205): Wednesday 6:00 pm - 7:50 pm in Frick Fine Arts 203
Student Hours:
  • Tuesday 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Wednesday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
Kavin Sankar
Email: KAS595@pitt.edu
Skills Lab (Section 1020): Thursday 9:00 am - 10:50 am in Cathedral of Learning 332
Student Hours:
  • Tuesday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Tuesday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Wednesday 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
Ruchi Hegde
Email: RUH32@pitt.edu
Skills Lab (Section 1215): Friday 9:00 am - 10:50 am in Eberly 206
Student Hours:
  • Tuesday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons
  • Tuesday 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm in Digital Scholars Commons

Course Links

  • Canvas
    • All Zoom links can be found in the Zoom tab on Canvas (passcode: CMPINF0010)
    • All lecture recordings can be found in the Panopto Video tab on Canvas
  • Discord
  • Top Hat (Join code 313949)
  • CourseMIRROR (passcode: uhggmc)