MCS Dept

About the Mathematics and Computer Science Department

Our department offers students the opportunity to experience the beauty and power of mathematics and computer science, and the chance to hone their reasoning and problem-solving skills for use in a myriad of applications.

The Math/CS Department graduates 24 to 26 majors and minors a year, a number which permits small class size but many opportunities for student and faculty interaction. We offer majors and minors in both computer science and mathematics. Many students are involved in independent study and research projects, such as recent honors students who wrote theses on Mathematical Modeling of Diseases, Iteration and Chaos, Quantum Game Theory, Artificial Intelligence and Computer Viruses. We also have an active problem-solving group that competes in national competitions.

Non-majors also find interesting and useful classes here, from courses on statistical controversies and the mathematics of voting and decision-making, to introductory robotics and Windows programming. Classes are taught in computer-equipped classrooms,our own dedicated PC lab and new Linux lab. We have a dedicated server that is accessible from anywhere on campus (classrooms, labs, and dorms) and that provides course software and is used to download instructional material and upload assignments. Skidmore's campus network also connects to other local intranets and the Internet, providing a rich resource for research and communications.

We have 10 energetic faculty members and our wonderful administrative assistant, Anita Miczek, who keeps the whole operation up and running. Our faculty are dedicated and imaginative teachers and also active scholars. Faculty interests include abstract algebra, algebraic geometry, computational number theory, computing and national security, graph theory, mathematical modeling of epidemics and diseases, mathematics education, and designing software for teaching computer science. These interests result in a variety of books and professional publications, as well as leading to new courses and opportunities for students.