Computer Science: What is Computer Science?

Computer scientists and software engineers work in industry and government to improve, maintain, and invent new technology.  They are involved in all stages of product development, including design, prototyping, testing, implementation, and documentation. 

The field of computer science becomes more inter-disciplinary every day.  Computer scientists tackle challenges that help shape medicine, navigate space, and create special effects in movies.  Specialties in computer science include artificial intelligence, graphics, human computer interaction, compilers and programming languages, networks and communications, systems, and theory. Graduates choose careers from computer chip design to the financial industry.

Computer scientists and software engineers design hardware and software that impact the way people live, work, and play--Roomba, the robot, vacuums floors; companies can hold to connect people across the globe; and people entertain themselves with digital photography and video games--all of these technologies require the involvement of computer scientists.