Instructors¶
Hi y’all! I’m James. This is my first quarter at UW and my first autumn in Seattle. I grew up on the East Coast, but went to college in California, where I studied computer science and data science at UC Berkeley.
I recently finished my M.S. in Computer Science at Virginia Tech, where my research focused on AI ethics and policy, including AI regulation and AI ethics education. I started teaching my junior year of college and was immediately hooked! I love teaching introductory courses, as well as computing ethics courses like CSE 480.
In my free time, I love to travel (recent highlights include Vietnam, Peru, and South Africa), cook (check out some of my recent food adventures), and play Minecraft (my current survival world is 3 years old). Stop by my office to say hi sometime!
Office Hours
I grew up in North Carolina and did my PhD here in the Allen School. I worked in Programming Languages, Compilers, and Parallel Computing before doing my PhD in Educational Technology & Pen Computing. I also taught CS at the University of Virginia for 5 years. I’ve worked a bit in applying Computing to problems in the Developing World but mostly these days my research is in Computer Science Education. Ask me about the CS Education seminar CSE590E. I love to get outdoors whenever I can: running, hiking, backpacking.
Teaching Assistants¶
Daniella Maor she/her
Quiz Section: AD
Hi y’all! My name is Daniella and I’m so excited to TA for CSE 160 this quarter! I’m a third year medical anthropology and global health major and data science minor. In my free time, you can probably find me drinking coffee or tea, rewatching Monty Python, hiking, playing volleyball, or watching hockey. I love chatting so if anything here sounds interesting to you, feel free to reach out!
Emma Lu
Quiz Section: AF
Hi, I’m Emma! I’m an undergrad at the Allen School and I’m super excited to be TAing for CSE 160. When I’m not studying, I love photography and reading books. Feel free to drop by my OH whenever, I’d love to chat about programming or anything else!
Jared Hwang he/him
Quiz Section: AG
I’m Jared, a second year PhD student. I study cities and city data, and have used Python for about a decade now. Looking forward to this quarter!
Katie Gower she/her
Quiz Section: AC
I’m a 3rd year statistics student and I’m TAing for the first time this quarter. When I’m not studying, I’m usually watching Dimension 20, writing, making art, or spending time with my cats.
Kellen Rodriguez he/him
Quiz Section: AA/AH
I’m a 4th year PhD student in the Allen School and I do research in Molecular Programming and DNA computing. Outside of school I enjoy running, any outdoor activities, plants, and animals.
Lisa Orii
Quiz Section: AE (1:30-2:20)
Hi! I’m Lisa, a PhD student in the Allen School. I research healthcare technologies in global contexts. Outside of school, I enjoy swimming, watching scary movies, and exploring bakeries. Looking forward to this quarter!
Riya Prasad she/her
Quiz Section: AE (1:30pm-2:30pm)
Hello! My name is Riya and I am a junior majoring in informatics with a minor in business administration. This is my first time being a TA for CSE160, and I’m really looking forward to meeting and working with you all! Outside of school I like to watch tv shows and movies, try new cafes, and go on walks! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat!
Sara Duan she/her
Quiz Section: AD
Hello! I’m Sara, a senior majoring in Informatics with a minor in Dance. This is my fourth time as a TA for CSE160, and I’m really looking forward to meeting and working with you all! Outside of academics, you can find me painting, watching movies, or trying new recipes. I love philosophical conversations and debates, so feel free to reach out if you’re ever looking for a chat!
Suhas Kannam
Quiz Section: AA/AB
Hi! I am a Computer Science major here at UW. I spent most of my life here in Washington. I’m interested in gardening and architecture if that’s something you want to talk about! I have TA-ed CSE 160 before so if you have any questions feel free to ask. I look forward to teaching you all!
Varun Atraya he/him
Quiz Section: TBD
Hey! I’m Varun, an undergrad majoring in CS. I love chipotle and watching TV. I’m excited to TA this quarter, and feel free to come chat with me about anything!
Getting Help¶
Having questions or getting stuck on something is entirely expected in the learning process. If you find something challenging with your studies, that is a sign you are learning! Learning is not something that you need to do alone though! In fact, connecting with your peers or asking a member of the course staff for help can add extreme depth to your knowledge.
If you have a general question that other students could potentially benefit from, consider posting publicly on Ed! On Ed, you can also set your questions to private or anonymous as you see appropriate.
If you would like to meet 1:1 with an instructor, please reach out via email (cse160-instructors@cs.washington.edu).
Ed Tips
- If you are asking a general question about the course logistics or content, you can make a public post. This way other students can benefit from seeing your question, and you can even answer each other’s questions to share your perspectives!
- If you want, you can choose to post anonymously so that other students in the course can’t see your name. Note that anonymous posting does not hide your identity from the course staff.
- You’re encouraged to answer each other’s questions as well! Explaining a topic to someone else (even on a discussion board) is a great way to help you better understand the material The course staff will still look over student answers and can add comments as needed.
- If you have a question that’s specific to your homework solution, or, is about some personal details that you would not want to share with the class (e.g., DRS accommodations), you can make a private post on Ed that is only visible to the course staff. This way, any member of the staff can respond to get you the help you need!
- For sensitive matters that you only want to discuss with James and Ruth, you can instead email cse160-instructors@cs.washington.edu if that makes you feel more comfortable. Note that the response time for instructor email is longer than posting on the Ed board.