Faculty for Computer Science & Innovation

Timothy Anderson

Biography

Timothy obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Strayer University and a Bachelors of Information Technology from American Intercontinental University. He has numerous certification in Cloud and Software engineering. He currently works as a Devops Engineer, in the Software Engineering department for a privately own FinTech. He also enjoys making time for running and traveling whenever possible. Running and traveling are two interest that he is very passionate about and encourage all people to explore.

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Daniel Buckstein

Biography

Originally from the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, Daniel Buckstein holds degrees in Computer Science and in Game Development & Entrepreneurship. He has a keen interest various areas of mathematics, including calculus and linear algebra, which carry over to computer animation algorithms and graphics programming. His other development interests include low-level game engine and tool design, virtual reality, and augmented reality; these have been demonstrated in both industry and academic contexts. His passion for programming intertwines with his passion for teaching and he is always looking for innovative and fun ways to deliver course content.

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

Ray Tracing in One Weekend

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Frank Canovatchel

Biography

Frank Canovatchel is a Professor at Champlain College teaching courses in data analytics, database systems, information systems, economics and finance. He is also the Program Director for the Data Analytics major.

After attaining his Master’s Degree from Fordham University in the early 1980’s, Dr. Canovatchel began his career as a financial analyst on Wall Street. While there he developed financial models using the first IBM AT and XT computers. After leaving Wall Street, he began his career teaching Economics, Computer Applications and Web Programming. His interests in Web technology includes Systems Analysis, XML/JSON, PHP, JavaScript, database development and the business of technological innovation. In economics, his interests include economic development, speculation in the commodities market as well as international finance and trade.

In 2006, Dr. Canovatchel co-authored his first book with noted author Patrick Carey, “New Perspectives on JavaScript Programming.” Currently he is working on a series of economics books for students not majoring in economics as well books on database design, statistical analysis of big data and the financial analysis of technological innovation. Dr. Canovatchel returned to Fordham University to pursue a PhD in Economics which he earned in May, 2015.

Publications & Abstracts

The Financial Crisis of 2008 and Its Impact on the Asian Rice Export Market

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

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Wei Kian Chen

Biography

Wei Kian Chen received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1996, 1998, and 2005, respectively.

His research interests are Association Mining, Classification, Data Mining, Database, Machine Learning, Pattern Recognition, Software Engineering and others.

He is an active member of ACM, IEEE, SIGCSE and CCSC. In addition, he is also a member of the International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines (Upsilon Phi Epsilon) and the Honor Society for International Scholars (Phi Beta Delta).

Distinctions & Awards

2020 Edward R. Lyman Professorship

Publications & Abstracts

• Predictive high-level feature representation based on dictionary learning
• Applying software engineering in CS1

Professional & Academic Affiliations

• Association for Computing Machinery
• Special Interest Group Computer Science Education
• Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers
• Upsilon Pi Epsilon International Honor Society for the Computing & Information Disciplines
  
• Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars

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Christopher DeGuise

Biography

Christopher DeGuise is a professor at Champlain College and the founder and game developer at Instance Entertainment. DeGuise is an entrepreneur and a technologist with more than 20 years of experience working as an IT professional. DeGuise has an equal interest in the technology and business sides of his field, and believes technology has the ability to automate and simplify our lives.

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Jeevan DSouza

Biography

Dr. Jeevan D’Souza has been an adjunct professor of computer science and mathematics at Champlain College Online since 2017. Prior to joining CCO he has worked as an academic, IT manager, computer programmer, and electronics engineer.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) from Shivaji University, India, in 2000, a master’s in EE from the University of Texas in 2003, a graduate certificate in computer engineering at Polytechnic Institute of NYU in 2005 and a PhD in computer science from Nova Southeastern University in 2012.

His teaching interests are in the fields of digital circuit design, computer programming, robotics, and embedded systems. He currently lives in Miami and is enjoying the sunshine.

Publications & Abstracts

View on Google Scholar

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Adam Goldstein

Biography

Adam Goldstein is an Associate Professor and an Academic Program Director in Cybersecurity at Champlain College. He also serves as Academic Director of the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity at Champlain where he helps oversee undergraduate students working on a wide range of projects. Adam has vast industry experience as an information security officer having previously established cybersecurity operation programs at Dartmouth College and Villanova University. With over 20 years’ experience in information security at institutions of higher education and a background in systems and network engineering, he has a thorough understanding of the unique security challenges in the modern enterprise. Adam received his BA from Rutgers University, a Master of Science in Information Assurance from Norwich University, and a Graduate Certificate in Digital Forensic Science from Champlain College. He is a Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Outside of work, Adam is an avid distance runner and greatly enjoys living and exploring the Green Mountains of Vermont with his family.

Distinctions & Awards

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Certified Information Security Auditor (CISA)
RRCA – Road Runners Club of America: Certified Distance Running Coach

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Favorite Quote

“Cybersecurity is not just about protecting your data, it’s about protecting your freedom.”

—Laura Galante

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Murat Gungor

Biography

Dr. Gungor holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer and Information Science, which he obtained in 2006 and 2001 respectively, from Syracuse University in New York. He also holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Sakarya University in Turkey, which he completed in 1997.

Dr. Gungor brings a wealth of experience to his current position at Champlain College, having previously taught Software Engineering courses at both Bilkent University and TOBB University in Ankara, Turkey. In addition to his academic background, he has also held various positions in the industry, ranging from researcher and software engineer to project manager and director.

His primary areas of expertise include object-oriented programming, software architecture, design and development, structural analysis, and quality improvement.

Favorite Quote

“If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?”

—Rumi

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Brian Hall

Biography

By education and trade, he is a programmer and engineer. His academic interests are interdisciplinary. He is a technologist who chooses to think critically about technology and encourages others to do the same.

Publications & Abstracts

You can read more about my work at https://www.brianrhall.com.

You can find my code projects at https://github.com/brianrhall.

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Favorite Quote

“If you want to increase your success rate”¦double your failure rate.”

—T.J. Watson

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Jim Hoag

Biography

Jim has taught Computer Science and Technology related courses for over 30 years. He was the Chair of the Department for CNCS, Forensics, and CIT until his retirement in 2017. He continues to teach occasional classes.

Publications & Abstracts

• Evolution of a Cybersecurity curriculum
• An Analysis of Academic Background Factors and Performance in Cyber Defense Competitions
• College student novice spreadsheet reasoning and errors

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David Kopec

Biography

David Kopec joined the faculty at Champlain College in 2016 after five years in the startup world. He served both as a co-founder and as a consultant to early stage tech companies with a concentration in iOS app development. David developed a passion for computer science education which led him to author the introductory programming book “Dart for Absolute Beginners” (Apress, 2014) on Google’s emerging language. In parallel, he worked part time as adjunct faculty in New York while running his consulting practice.

David is active in the open source community as the author of several popular Swift data structure projects. He is the author of the “Classic Computer Science Problems” book series, which includes “Classic Computer Science Problems in Swift” (Manning, 2018), “Classic Computer Science Problems in Python” (Manning, 2019), and “Classic Computer Science Problems in Java” (Manning, 2020). An avid podcaster, he has served both as a guest and host on multiple podcast series. A native of New England, David has lived throughout the United States, Canada, and England. He holds an AB in Economics from Dartmouth College, an MS in Computer Science from Dartmouth, and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology.

Publications & Abstracts

https://www.manning.com/books/classic-computer-science-problems-in-python?a_aid=oaksnow&a_bid=d326fe0b

Kopec Explains Software podcast (http://kopec.live/)
Business Books & Co. podcast (http://businessbooksandco.com/)

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Jason Mcgoff

Biography

When he graduated from high school, he enrolled at SUNY Oswego and received a degree in Computer Science. Once he finished, he worked very briefly and then decided to get a M.S. in Computer Science from Binghamton University. He greatly enjoyed his college experience and would like to help others enjoy it as much as he did. He thinks learning online is a great medium and really enjoy teaching others.

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Sarah Pettitt

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John Pile Jr

Biography

John Pile Jr is a Technical Director and Principal Engineering Manager at Schell Games. Previously a full-time professor for Champlain College, John now teaches as an adjunct faculty for the Game Studio.

John has a deep background in digital entertainment, video games, and interactive story-telling experiences for PCs, Mobile, Game Consoles, and specializes in MR / VR / XR. He is the author of “2D Graphics Programming for Games” and has presented at the Game Developer Conference on topics in computer graphics education.

Publications & Abstracts

2D Graphics Programming for Games

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Vikas Thammanna Gowda

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Alexandre Tolstenko

Biography

Alex is an experienced senior software developer who joined Champlain College in 2022. With over 15 years in the software industry, Alex has a diverse background as a software, game, blockchain, and reliability engineer, having held various positions including developer, architect, and CTO in startups. Throughout their career, Alex has delivered successful products to the market, accumulating over 250 million downloads.

Alex specializes in game development, general problem-solving, algorithms, product delivery, and team building. Some notable deliveries include implementing multiplayer networking and physics determinism for racing games, developing blockchain technology and IaaC for an NFT-based crowdfunding platform, and porting a game engine (including physics) from ObjectiveC to multiple platforms.

Originally from Brazil, Alex enjoys sports, learning new skills, and exploring emerging tech trends. They hold a BS in Computer Engineering from UNICAMP and an MS in Computer Science from UFPI, both in Brazil.

Distinctions & Awards

Unity Awards Finalist 2012;
Best paper award on SAE Aerodesign 2014;
Best paper award on international Coloproctology journal 2017
Featured Startup on Innovativa Brazil 2018;

Publications & Abstracts

Awesome GameDev Resources

Favorite Quote

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

—Walt Disney

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