Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming

Abstract

This lecture will introduce the concept of Object-Oriented Programming, an important paradigm in computer science. We’ll learn the difference between classes and objects, design some classes of our own, and have a lively discussion about why it all matters. Students are assumed to have some background, but not necessarily expertise, in basic programming concepts (e.g., variables, functions) and procedural programming.

Bio: Dr. Elena Strange is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. She began her career as a software engineer for Amazon.com, where she worked on data-mining and search projects that you have probably interacted with. After a leadership role at technology nonprofit TechSoup Global, she left Silicon Valley for Memphis, where she launched a start-up that failed almost immediately. Lucky for her, that means more time to teach. In addition to her position at Rhodes, Dr. Strange is a passionate advocate for underrepresented groups in computer science, and a typical Saturday morning will find her leading coding workshops for African-American kids, girls, and women.