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Volume 0.5 | Premier Issue | Spring 1997 | Archived Issues

From the Keyboard

Welcome!

Welcome to the premier issue of The Integral, an online publication for Mathematics and Computer Science Alumnae/i of Wheaton College found at: http://aslan.wheatonma.edu/~integral. We have two main goals with The Integral: (i) to (re)connect you to the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and (ii) to (re)connect you to friends and colleagues with whom you studied while at Wheaton. Each semester we'll combine current news with faculty and student profiles that introduce you to the women and men in today's classrooms and labs. A section on alumnae/i profiles will share experiences on "life since Wheaton," a valuable mix of work and learning from you to us.

In addition, we seek your input and wisdom in a number of areas; perhaps most significant is the establishment of a pool of contacts for potential student internships - that is, second transcript opportunities with the Filene Center. Less important, but still dear to our hearts, are projects like the new working computer museum. In short, we want to remind you that together we are the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Editor's note: Although this is an online publication, we have mailed this first edition to over 370 past mathematics and/or computer science graduates, ranging back to the Class of '23. Send us an email ... we'd love to hear from you!

News Bytes

Professor Fred Kollett

It is with deep regret that we share the news that Professor Fred Kollett, 55, of Norton, died Thursday, Feb. 20, 1997, at New England Medical Center in Boston. He was the husband of Linda S. (Shulenberger) Kollett.

Born in Northbridge, MA June 1, 1941, he was the son of the late Frederick W. and Mildred P. (Aldrich) Kollett, and had lived in Norton for 17 years. Dr. Kollett was Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and Director of Academic Computing at Wheaton College since 1985. He is credited with the vision of our present networked campus, which includes dorm rooms and every faculty desk. Fred led a never-ending rally cry for rigorous academic standards, always challenging the department, the faculty and his own students. Fred initiated computer science at Wheaton starting with the computer literacy program in 1979 and guided its development toward the new major in computer science recently approved by the College. The computing center will be named in his honor -- The Kollett Academic Computing Center -- during a dedication and tree planting ceremony Thursday, May 15, at 2:00 p.m. Donations toward a new award to be given annually to a student in Mathematics and/or Computer Science in Dr. Kollett's memory may be made to The Francis W. Kollett Scholarship, c/o Wheaton College, 26 East Main St., Norton MA 02766.

Fred was a mentor, a colleague, a friend -- a man with unlimited energy for the institution. In his memory, may we each possess a fraction of his commitment to Wheaton.

New Major

In January, the faculty voted to approve a new major in Computer Science. Six students have already enrolled in the new major. Details of the program are available on our department web page: http://www.wheatonma.edu/academic/academicdept/MathCS

This major now completes the range of offerings from our department: Majors are available in Computer Science, Mathematics, Mathematics & Computer Science and Mathematics & Economics. Minors are available in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Smart Classroom

The department sports a new 36-seat "smart classroom" as of the Spring 1997 semester. Housed at the end of the hall in the department (A102), the networked classroom with full-screen projection from the instructor's machine blurs the distinction between lecture and lab. For example, calculus courses which meet for 4 hours in A102 provide the instructor the luxury of integrating hands-on practice with new computational tools at "as needed" times during the week.

Professor Barbara Clinger

Professor Barbara Clinger is spending her first year of retirement in the woods of New Hampshire, but rumor has it that she's not resting! Barbara is learning the hot new computer language, Java, as well as the ins-and-outs of server-side computing on the Internet.

Faculty Highlights

Our department staff currently numbers 5 full-time members and two part-time instructors, all PhD's. In future editions we'll highlight the teaching and research interests of individual members. Web pages for each member are also available from the department web page: http://www.wheatonma.edu/academic/academicdept/MathCS

Bill Bloch

Assistant Professor of Mathematics
bbloch@wheatonma.edu

Norman Johnson

Professor of Mathematics
johnson@wheatonma.edu

Mark LeBlanc

Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Department Chair
mleblanc@wheatonma.edu

Rochelle Leibowitz

Professor of Mathematics
rleibowi@wheatonma.edu

Tommy Ratliff

Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
tratliff@wheatonma.edu

A Call for Participation

Commencement Reunion

Are you coming to Commencement Reunion weekend this year? If yes, let us know if you'd like a personal tour of the department, especially our new smart classroom. Also, if you are a novice on the Internet, Professor LeBlanc is offering an Alumnae/i College course on Friday, May 16 from 2-4pm entitled: "Cyber Surfeit: Finding Your Way Through the World Wide Web."

Look for details in mailings from the Alumnae/i Office, phone (508.285.8207) or email (alumnae/i@wheatonma.edu) the Alumnae/i Office for details.

Computer Museum

In 1994, our department started a "working" computer museum, that is, (almost) all the calculating devices and computers work. Each year students are assigned to adopt a couple of machines and keep them running. The pieces are displayed outside our two classrooms along with accompanying signs and documentation. To date, the museum includes numerous calculating devices (slide rules, Friden and Wang electro-mechanical models), early word processors (Underwood and Royal typewriters!), an original IBM PC running MS-DOS v1.1, assorted PC's (186, 286, 386), the original Compaq portable (luggable!), a teletype, an 8-bit Nitendo game, Apple's (IIe, IIc), Mac SE and Commodore 64 and 128 machines.

Do you have an early working game (e.g., pong) or machine (e.g., early Mac) that you would like to donate to the museum? (We stress working machines as this helps us filter mass duplicates). Each contribution is labeled with credit to the donor. Give us a call or email us if you think you do.

Connections

Are you interested in coming to campus to meet our students and present a talk on your work? We welcome your involvement and the students greatly appreciate hearing the advice from professionals in the field. Let us know.

We are starting a web site with a list of MathCS alumnae/i email addresses and links to personal and/or company web pages. The site will offer our current students a chance to meet (virtually) some of our previous graduates, as well as provide you with a place to match old names with new links. Please send us your URL and/or email address so we can make you a part of this page.

The Integral

Integral v0.5 - Spring 1997

Archived Issues | Computer Science | Mathematics

Wheaton College
26 East Main Street
Norton, Massachusetts 02766
Phone: 508.286.3970
Fax: 508.285.8278

Editor: Mark LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Department Chair
mleblanc@wheatonma.edu | website

Graphics Design: Glen Aspelagh, '00
gaspesla@wheatonma.edu

Transition Design: Nick Ralton, '07
nralton@wheatonma.edu

 

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