The human side of computing

John Magee, a computer science professor and Clark’s interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, is interested in learning how systems can improve people’s lives.

“The neat thing about computer science is it’s all about helping people solve problems or do things,” he says. “Sometimes those problems are in computing, but very often they’re problems that face scientists in other fields.”

Magee works with user interface technologies that allow people with disabilities to communicate and participate in the world. This passion started when he was an undergraduate student assisting on a project that helps people use a computer mouse without the use of their hands. Instead of pointing and clicking with their finger, Magee can coordinate computer systems so that blinking, for example, controls a computer mouse click.

“That was the moment where I first really saw the human side of computing and the difference that it can make for people,” he says.

Challenge. Change. is produced by Melissa Hanson for Clark University. Listen and subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Find other episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

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