Scott Anderson
Senior Lecturer in Computer Science
Professor Anderson's teaching interests include web application programming, including databases, web frameworks, and computer graphics. His research interests are similar, but also include artificial intelligence (particularly planning and natural language processing), simulation, system software and system administration.
His courses cover simulation, computer graphics, and web-interfaced databases.
Education
- B.S., Yale University
- M.S., University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
- Ph.D., University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
Currently teaching
CS 304 is a course in full-stack web development. The stack comprises the front-end (typically a web browser), the back-end (a database for storing and retrieving user-contributed data) and the middleware that knits the two together. We will learn how to parse the incoming web request, route the request to the appropriate handler, retrieve data from the database that is relevant to the user's search, combine that data with static templates of web pages, and deliver that data to the browser. We will build endpoints to handle Ajax requests and learn about REST APIs. We will also discuss performance, reliability, concurrency, and security issues. In a semester project, we will create dynamic websites driven by database entries. In the fall, the CS 304 stack will comprise Flask and MySQL. In the spring, the CS 304 stack will comprise Node.js and MongoDB.
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This course introduces modern web development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. JavaScript is explored in detail, including scoping, closures, objects, classes, object-oriented programming, and modules. The jQuery library is also introduced, and the course covers event handling and Ajax interactions. Students will build web pages that manage data structures using menus and forms, and that save/restore that data from local storage resulting in a persistent, dynamic web application. Designed web pages will be modern, responsive, and accessible. The course also covers Bootstrap and the jQuery UI (User Interface) library.