Featured in Five is a monthly section where we pose questions to a Computing Reviews featured reviewer. Here are the responses from our March featured reviewer, Michael Oudshoorn.
Q) What is the most important thing that's happened in computing in the past 10 years?
A) I would say generative AI and its impact in both the workplace and on campuses. I don’t think we have seen the end of the disruption it is causing yet.
Q) If you weren't working in the computer science field, what would you be doing instead?
A) I originally went to university to become a physical and inorganic chemist. That idea lasted about six weeks before I switched to computer science and never looked back.
Q) By the end of your career, where do you think computer science will have taken us? What are you working on that might contribute toward that?
A) Computer science impacts almost every aspect of everyone’s life in some way. There are so many daily objects that are computer controlled, and more joining the list every day. Forty years ago, who would have thought you needed an Internet-connected thermostat or refrigerator, that you would have a GPS navigation system with live traffic updates on your phone, or that Siri/Alexa would answer questions while you drove your vehicle. My contribution is in computer science education, and I recently had the honor of serving on the steering committee working on the CS2023 computer science curriculum guidelines.
Q) Who is your favorite historical figure? Why?
A) Captain Cook—he is credited with discovering Australia 😉. This also seems like a more appropriate answer than Ned Kelly.
Q) What is your favorite type of music?
A) Rock and pop.
Click here to read one of Michael's reviews.