I, Oliver Bonham-Carter 👋

Associate Professor in The Department of Computer and Information Science, Allegheny College

I, Oliver Bonham-Carter, In June

I, Oliver Bonham-Carter 👋

Associate Professor in The Department of Computer and Information Science, Allegheny College

Classes

So, what do I teach here?

This semester, I am teaching …

computing under the stars

However, During Other Semesters, I teach …


Classes in a Box

Much like how you may get food from the store which is ready to eat, I have prepared two courses which are piping hot and ready to teach. I offer a course in Bioinformatics and another in Senior Thesis Research which I have used at Allegheny College several times. If you are an instructor at the high-school or college level, help your self to the materials at the above sites! Please be sure to let me know your thoughts and comments if you apply them to your course.


Data Structures

CMPSC 101 Data Structures, Fall 2026

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The website for this class is located at; https://dodatastructures.com/

Meeting Times

  • Lecture: M/W/F 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM 25 August 2026 - 10 December 2026

    • Location: Alden Hall 109
  • Lab: Friday, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Th 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM 25 August 2026 - 10 December 2026

Comm Competencies

SWS*105-04: Intro to Comm Competencies

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Academic Bulletin Description

An exploration of four communication competencies: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students develop engaging voices as speakers and writers through study of concepts such as purpose, occasion, audience, and genre. The use of reading and listening to interpret ideas of others and form one’s own will be applied toward thesis-driven written and spoken texts. The topical material covered in the seminar varies from section to section and year to year. All first-year students take Introduction to Communication Competencies in either their first or second semester. Must be taken on the letter-grade basis. Credits: 4. Distribution Requirements: None.

DataBase Systems


CMPSC-305-00: Database Systems

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Academic Bulletin Description

A study of the application and evaluation of database management systems. Participating in hands-on activities that often require teamwork, students design, implement, and deploy database systems that store interdisciplinary data sets. In addition to learning how to develop and assess interfaces for databases, students study the efficiency and effectiveness of alternative data management systems. During a weekly laboratory session students use industry-grade technology to complete projects, reporting on their results through both written documents and oral presentations. Students are invited to use their own departmentally approved laptop in this course; a limited number of laptops are available for use during class and lab sessions. Prerequisite: CMPSC 101. Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.

Junior Seminar

CMPSC-580-00: Junior Seminar

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When Do We Meet?

Meeting Times

Academic Bulletin Description

A team-based investigation of select topics in computer science, preparing students for the proposal and completion of a senior project. Working in teams to complete hands-on activities, students learn how to read research papers, state and motivate research questions, design and conduct experiments, and collect and organize evidence for evaluating scientific hypotheses. During a weekly laboratory session students use state-of-the-art technology to gain practical skills in scientific and technical writing, the presentation of computational and mathematical concepts, and the visualization of experimental data. Students are invited to use their own departmentally approved laptop in this course; a limited number of laptops are available for use during class and lab sessions. Prerequisite: CMPSC*101 and at least one of the core courses. Distribution Requirements: None.

Discrete Structures

CMPSC-102 Discrete Structures (4 Credits)

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When Do We Meet?

Meeting Times

Academic Bulletin Description

An introduction to the foundations of computer science with an emphasis on understanding the abstract structures used to represent discrete objects. Participating in hands-on activities that often require teamwork, students learn the computational methods and logical principles that they need to create and manipulate discrete objects in a programming environment. Students also learn how to write, organize, and document a program’s source code so that it is easily accessible to intended users of varied backgrounds. During a weekly laboratory session students use state-of-the-art technology to complete projects, reporting on their results through both written documents and oral presentations. Students are invited to use their own departmentally approved laptop in this course; a limited number of laptops are available for use during class and lab sessions. Prerequisite: Knowledge of elementary algebra. Distribution Requirements: QR, SP.

Data Science

CMPSC-301-00: Data Science, Fall 2026

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The website for this class is located at; https://dodatascience.com/

Meeting Times

  • Lecture: M/W/F 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM 25 August 2026 - 10 December 2026

    • Location: Alden Hall 101
  • Lab: Friday, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Th 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM 25 August 2026 - 10 December 2026

    • Location: Alden Hall 101

Bioinformatics

CMPSC-300-00: Bioinformatics (4 Credits)

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Academic Bulletin Description

An introduction to the development and application of methods, from the computational and information sciences, for the investigation of biological phenomena. In this interdisciplinary course, students integrate computational techniques with biological knowledge to develop and use analytical tools for extracting, organizing, and interpreting information from genetic sequence data. Often participating in team-based and hands-on activities, students implement and apply useful bioinformatics algorithms. During a weekly laboratory session students employ cutting-edge software tools and programming environments to complete projects, reporting on their results through both written documents and oral presentations. Students are invited to use their own departmentally approved laptop in this course; a limited number of laptops are available for use during class and lab sessions. Prerequisite: BIO 221 and FSBIO 201, or CMPSC

Academic Discord

computing under the stars

Academic Bulletin Description

An exploration of interpretation and communication of data in the digital world. Students participate in class discussions and hands-on activities to investigate how data may be used to draw logical conclusions, to make informed decisions and to create policies with potentially far-reaching implications. Students reflect on current practices for collecting data, its uses, abuses, and impacts on society. The coursework emphasizes the development of effective oral and written communication skills with a focus on description, summary, and critical thinking.