810:062, Computer Science II (Last
taught Fall 2007) [This course is no longer directly in our
curriculum. Loosely speaking, it is now being taught as 810:053]
For the past decade or so, my research interests have involved recommender systems, collaborative information
systems, and agent assisted interfaces. This draws from the fields of
information retrieval, artificial intelligence (AI), and human computer interaction
(HCI). I also have interests in how technology is applied in a
diverse set of domains - such as electronic commerce and geographical
information systems (GIS).
Some interesting sites that feature cool (and sometimes diverse) forms of
recommendation.
MovieLens - a great way to find
movies to watch (bias alert : I worked on the MovieLens project for several
years).
StumpleUpon - a plugin for the
mozilla family of web browsers. A great way to find new websites.
launch - a fun way to get
personalized, streamed, music to your computer. The free version is very
good.
I also have a strong interest in education, the use of computers in
education, and teaching strategies for computer science education. Related
to this, I have been working on a variety of community outreach activities
targeted at K-12 students. My favorite with this has been using
Scratch with upper elementary students.
I have a lovely bride, Amy, who has been my companion for almost 20 years
now. Together, we have three children - Margaret, Caroline, and James. For more information about my
immediate family and the extended Schafer clan check out www.familyschafer.com
When I am away from my office, I have several hobbies that occupy my time.
These include
Travel - I
don't get to travel as much as I would like, but I love to see the far corners
of the world as well as the near corners of Iowa. The link provided here
is to my account with travelblog.org (a great site by the way), including my
blog about my recent four-week trip to Russia, Italy, and Germany.
Quality Beers - Most people hear
"beer" and they think of the pale yellow mega-lagers produced by
"Bud Milloors" (the stuff that college students drink in quantity to get
drunk). However, there
is so much more to beer than this one style. There are a lot of very GOOD beers out there that should be enjoyed
responsibly for the sake of
their fantastic flavor rather than their "buzzability."
Homebrewing - Living in the middle
of Iowa in a town where most of the beer market is driven by college students,
it is sometimes hard to find the good beers mentioned above. Thus, I
have learned how to make my own beer as a way to expand my horizons.
