Courtney L. Merriam Week 1 Journal

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Denning Articles Pre Reading Questions:

  1. When you hear the term computer science, what comes to mind?
    • When I hear the term computer science I think of coding and a ton of computer work that I don't understand.
  2. When older relatives or friends hear the term computer science, what do you think comes to their minds?
    • When older relatives or friends hear the term computer scienceI think a foreign language comes to their minds.
  3. When younger relatives or friends hear the term computer science, what do you think comes to their minds?
    • When younger relatives or friends hear the term computer science I think they think of gaming and common knowledge.

Janovy Chapter Pre Reading Questions:

  1. When you hear the term biology, what comes to mind?
    • When I hear the term biology I think of the half field and research of medical advancements.
  2. Do you consider yourself a biologist? why or why not?
    • I do consider myself a biologist because I study biology and perform experiments and collect data.

After reading the Denning articles and the Janovy chapter Questions:

  1. What was the purpose of these readings?
    • The purpose of these readings is to shed the light on to the understanding of in-depth computer science and bioinformatics, which has become interwoven in out ever day lives.
  2. Which of the voices in the Voices of Computing article seem to appeal to you the most?
    • I feel the voice of the mathematician appeals to me the most. I am a very logical person and I enjoy math and solving problems. Math and physics seem difficult to many but I really enjoy them.
  3. Apply one of the seven principles from the Computing is a Natural Science article to something as "non-computer-science"-y as possible, either from other subjects or your daily life.
    • The third principle of computing is Coordination. I find this concept relating to the negative feedback loop of the endocrine system of the body with balance of calcitonin and calcitriol levels. With the two levels in balance it allows for proper calcium levels in the bones and in the blood so not to weaken growing bones.
  4. What did you find most interesting or provocative about the Janovy reading?
    • I found it interesting that he says it is impossible to make a case for early experience as a crucial factor in life choices. Life is always changing and there is no way of knowing for certain how things will end up. One case for this would be evolution; there is no formula to know how things will change in a species by early experiences.
  5. What does it mean to be a biologist? Do you consider yourself a biologist? Why or why not?
    • Being a biologist means always in the pursuit for knowledge and advancements in the biological field, everything pertaining to life. I do consider my self to be a biologist because I have interest in learning biology and learning more about the world we live in and how to advance it.

Useful Links

Courtney L. Merriam

Clas Page: Bioinformatics Laboratory

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