Historic Computers

Early computers were physically big and bulky, yet computationally small by today's standards.  Despite their weaknesses historic computers have an important role to play in modern computer science courses; for example, their large size allows abstract concepts (e.g., bits, bytes, and files) to have visible concrete representations (e.g., holes in paper tape).  My research involves collecting and maintaining old computers, developing simulations of historic computers, and finding ways to creatively incorporate these into public displays and computer science courses.

Computer Generated Holography

A hologram is a recording of an interference pattern of light waves on photographic film such that, when properly illuminated, the light patterns that produced the interference pattern are reconstructed.  Thus, when the hologram is viewed, the objects that produced the hologram appear as if they are “in” the hologram.  My research involves using a computer to calculate the interference pattern that would be produced by objects.