Research

In many ways, CS students at St. Olaf engage in research projects throughout the curriculum.  Every course emphasizes team-based projects and problem-solving skills in unique settings. The senior Capstone course is a culmination of these experiences.  Additionally, CS faculty members supervise summer research projects every summer. These paid positions are supported by the St. Olaf Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI) program and occasionally by National Science Foundation grants for which professor Richard Brown is principal investigator.  Students should talk to the CS faculty about their research and potential summer projects.

• Richard Brown: Parallel and distributed computing
• Elizabeth Jensen: Robotics and artificial intelligence
• Olaf Hall-Holt: computer vision and elements of human cognition especially in relation to mathematics education

Internships

Internships are on-the-job experiences in company settings. They give you a chance to see what the “real world” of employment is actually like and often lead to job offers after graduation. Students usually return to their academic studies with a sense of purpose and a better knowledge of what is important to them. Most CS-related internships are for pay—good pay—so whether your internship is during the summer or academic year, you have a chance to earn while you learn.

How do you find an internship? Start by visiting the Piper Center early in the search process (e.g., in the fall before you want a summer internship). You can read about internships here, but it’s best to stop by the Piper Center and talk to a Peer Advisor and Career Coach.

Students can sometimes get academic credit for internships; the credit will count toward graduation but typically does not count toward the CS major.