Image Volen National Center as viewed from the Chapels

Volen National Center for Complex Systems

May 12, 2022

Sydney Adams | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Prior to pursuing her PhD in Computer Science at Brandeis, Ella Tuson’s initial attraction to the field “was a bit of a surprise.” She found a love for teaching and researching in Computer Science as an undergraduate at Clark University in Worcester, MA. “I had initially taken the class to fill the science requirement,” she says, “and I guess I just sort of fell in love.” Tuson wanted to maintain the liberal arts background she had experienced as an undergraduate when she transitioned to graduate education. When looking for programs, she realized that Brandeis, “had everything she was looking for.” 

Brandeis’ Michtom School of Computer Science aims to provide students with a breadth of experience in the field. It also maintains a focus on developing technology and scholarship that will benefit society. These approaches appealed to Tuson and enabled her to avoid being shoehorned into one field within the discipline. What she loves most about the department is, “the cross-pollination of ideas between different disciplines,” from, “the diversity of research interests of the faculty,” to the exposure to research and teaching. 

Tuson was also excited to perform original research in the field while enjoying the more intimate classroom and laboratory environments of a smaller-sized program. She says that Professor Timothy J. Hickey and Professor Richard Alterman have not only supported her academically during her time at Brandeis—they “have both been instrumental in [her] development as a teacher and as a researcher.” In fact, their mentorship and guidance has led Tuson to research topics that she believes “will have a positive impact in the world.”

Currently, Tuson is working with Professor Hickey to uncover new ways of improving student outcomes in Computer Science education. Their goal is to, “improve equity and promote diversity in Computer Science education, while also easing some of the burden on both teachers and students that can come from traditional class structures.” And Ella does not want to end her project at Brandeis. After graduation, she hopes to, “pursue a teaching position at a University where I can continue doing research while also working to support the next generation of Computer Science students.”

Headshot of Ella TusonTuson has some advice for those interested in exploring Computer Science at Brandeis, “to go for it, even if you’re nervous.” As intimidating as Computer Science may be, especially to those who may not have had a large amount of experience in the field Tuson ensures that, “you don’t have to be a math-wiz or have already written a bunch of code to succeed in Computer Science. Really all you need is a little bit of creativity and the willingness to stare at a computer screen for many, many hours.”