Smaranda Sandu

Lecturer in Computer Science

Contact
Email:
asandu@wellesley.edu
Department
Computer Science

Interested in the intersection of computer science, mathematics, and human decision making, as well as improving science education and communication */

My research background is in epistemic modal logic and game theory, revolving around modeling human decision making under uncertainty.

Throughout my teaching, I aim to encourage students to engage deeply with the course material, bring their own perspectives and backgrounds into the discussions, and employ their curiosity, with the hopes of making learning as empowering a process as possible. This year, I'll be teaching CS230.

I'm interested in promoting STEM subjects, like Computer Science and Mathematics, and in increasing accessibility around both these subjects and the theory behind them, especially for female students. I'm also engaged in science communication projects, hosting a researcher interview podcast.

Education

  • B.A., Wellesley College
  • M.A., Cornell University
  • Ph.D., Cornell University

Current and upcoming courses

Introduction to Computing for the Sciences

CS112

An introduction to problem-solving through computer programming with special focus on application to problems relevant to physics, chemistry, and biology. Students learn how to read, modify, design, debug, and test algorithms that solve problems. Programming concepts include control structures, problem solving strategies, abstraction, recursion, and modularity. Students explore these concepts in the context of interactive programs, data processing, and graphical and numerical analysis, using the Python programming language. Students are required to attend a 2.5-hour lab where they will apply concepts learned in lecture to study topics at the intersection of chemistry and physics. Topics might include: chemical kinetics, numerical integration, molecular dynamics, computational biology, Monte Carlo techniques, and basic statistical analysis.

This course has a required co-requisite Laboratory - CS 112L.

More Info

  • Theory of Computation

    CS235

    This course offers an introduction to the theory of computation. Topics include languages, regular expressions, finite automata, grammars, pushdown automata, and Turing machines. The first part of the course covers the Chomsky hierarchy of languages and their associated computational models. The second part of the course focuses on decidability issues and unsolvable problems. The final part of the course investigates complexity theory.. 

  • Theory of Computation

    CS235

    This course offers an introduction to the theory of computation. Topics include languages, regular expressions, finite automata, grammars, pushdown automata, and Turing machines. The first part of the course covers the Chomsky hierarchy of languages and their associated computational models. The second part of the course focuses on decidability issues and unsolvable problems. The final part of the course investigates complexity theory.