Wythe Winner Dives Into Artificial Intelligence, Robotics
New track arises within BVU's computer science major. Students can now explore artificial intelligence and robotics through the new program track led by Dr. Shawn Stone.
Dr. Shawn Stone, Buena Vista University Professor of Physics and Computer Science, has been a professor for more than two decades. He’s the most recent George Wythe Award winner for teaching excellence.
And yet, he’s a bit nervous this semester.
“I teach artificial intelligence right now to juniors and seniors, seven of them being computer science majors,” says Stone. “I’m scared because this is my first time teaching artificial intelligence. No matter how much you prepare to teach something, you’re always a student. I love this part about teaching, always being a learner.”
AI represents the theoretical portion of this new AI/robotics track within the computer science major. The robotics end is the physical experience.
“Iowa has one of the largest high school robotics participation rates of any state,” Stone says. “It’s even an activity in 4-H. The base for prospective students is very large.”
Dr. Shawn Stone, Professor of Physics and Computer Science
“AI represents the brain; robotics represents the body,” says Stone.
Stone, who is earning a master’s in AI through Columbia University in New York, began his immersion in the field three years ago.
“Looking at the future, I thought artificial intelligence would play a much bigger role in our lives,” he says. “I’ve always loved programming and wanted to prepare myself to learn AI and then enhance our computer science program with that applied computer science.”
BVU Interim President Dr. Brian Lenzmeier served as Provost when Stone presented an academic proposal calling for the creation of the AI/robotics track. Lenzmeier and the President’s Council gave Stone the green light.
“BVU was very enthusiastic about what we could do with AI/robotics,” says Stone. “We’re taking computer science and solving real-world problems with AI. That is a skill that will be needed for a long time.”
“Once this class opened up, I jumped on it,” says Jacob Hull, a BVU junior from Alta majoring in computer science.
“I’m hoping to get into a career that focuses on autonomous vehicles and the use of AI.”
BVU Associate Professor of Computer Science Dr. Nathan Backman, the 2019 George Wythe Award winner at BVU, has also taught AI. He and Stone, in conjunction with other BVU School of Science faculty, seek to attract enough students in the track to one day create an AI/robotics major. Students have already responded, in part, by forming the BVU Robotics Club, which seeks to host a competition later this fall featuring robots wrestling in a sumo ring, programmed to follow commands via AI.
“Iowa has one of the largest high school robotics participation rates of any state,” Stone says. “It’s even an activity in 4-H. The base for prospective students is very large. While it’s hard to read the tea leaves in education, our goal is to build another sustainable program that will benefit our world in more ways than we can imagine at this time.”