Jeanette Shown

I witnessed my first solar eclipse at the age of 11 using a homemade device, safely watching and photographing the event from beginning to end. My journey into technology continued with the advent of computers, which operate on binary code—until the eventual shift to quantum computing. Currently, I am conducting research in two main areas. First, I am exploring how blind and visually impaired students learn computational thinking and computer programming. Second, I finished my certification in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, through Standford with the support of Amazon. Specifically, I aim to develop programs that enhance medical decision-making with greater precision, considering the diverse populations in the United States.My professional experience includes roles at Microsoft, Sierra Entertainment, and Boeing in Seattle. Academically, I am associated with the Center for Social Sciences and Computational Research at the University of Washington, as well as the United States Coast Guard Integrated Support Command in Seattle. I have taught undergraduate technology programs at the University of Washington, where my students and I once assisted the Port of Tacoma in upgrading their rent and lease tracking system for container ships. This class project saved the Port of Tacoma approximately one million dollars and provided them with the time to plan their next steps in programming and automation.

At Goshen College, I teach upper-level computing science and information technology courses. My students gain real-world experience through projects such as resolving memory allocation issues for smaller manufacturers, creating databases from historic cemetery records, and securing internships with local and other employers.

I believe that while machine learning and AI can present challenges, they also offer opportunities to improve lives. Just as the automotive industry gradually introduced seat belts, airbags, and sensory detectors to enhance safety, our society learns from mistakes and embraces diverse perspectives with fairness and concern for others. This balance of professional preparedness and ethical consideration is what I strive to instill in my students every day in computing science.

Education

• B.S., Indiana University Bloomington, 1979
• M.S., University of Notre Dame, 1981

 

Memberships

• IEEE – Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers
• ACM – Association of Computing Machines
• ONC IT – Office of the National Coordinator of Information Technology workshops
• NFB – Local board member, National Federation of the Blind

External Grants

• National Federation of the Blind(2024):
  State of Indiana STEM2U coordinator for the summer program for blind students in grades 4th through 7th.
• AWS Grant (2023):
  $2,500 grant and certification for Machine Learning in the Cloud and Artificial Intelligence.
• Digital Eve Grant (2022):
  $1,800 grant from Mennonite.net for the Goshen College chapter of Digital Eve, supporting women in computing science.
• Meta In-Kind Grant (2022):
  Donation of 20 Oculus Quest II virtual reality headsets, valued at $6,000.
• Indiana Computes Grant (2019-2021):
  Sub-awardee and Principal Investigator for Goshen College, a $20,000 grant. Goshen College participated in developing and administering the IndianaComputes program, a K-12 initiative to deliver state-wide, rigorous, evidence-based, comprehensive, and cost-effective Computer Science Professional Development for teachers. The program involved 10 universities across the state, focusing on coaching K-12 teachers in content knowledge and pedagogy in computer science.
• Google Grant (2016):
  $8,500 grant from Google’s IgniteCS program, supporting student groups committed to developing and delivering a computer science outreach program in their community. Watch this: YouTube