Back to Faculty Directory

Office Hours

M 02:00 PM-04:30 PM
W 02:00 PM-04:30 PM

Mary Anne Egan, Professor of Computer Science, works on issues of underrepresentation in computer science. She is involved in the research of pedagogical influences on the recruitment and retention of women and minorities in Computer Science. Since focusing her efforts on diversity issues in Computer Science, she has involved undergraduate students in the implementation of various strategies to improve students’ first year computer science sequence, served for two years as director of Siena’s Luce Foundation grant to provide scholarships for female STEM undergraduates, secured funding to allow many female undergraduate students to attend the international Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference, has developed a course on Diversity in Computer Science, and has created an alternative programming contest for non-programmers (IMPACT) as a way to introduce high school students to computer science. More than 400 students have participated in the IMPACT program and other colleges and universities have implemented similar career exploration days and courses on diversity. Dr. Egan is also interested in the role of technology in improving people’s lives in developing countries. 

Dr. Egan is involved in various organizations and conferences. She is an at-large board member of the ACM Special Interest Group for Computer Science Education (SIGCSE), SIGCSE representative for the ACM Education Advisory Committee, member of ACM Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Computing Education (DEI-CE) Taskforce, and co-founder of the regional New York Celebration of Women in Computing (NYCWiC).  She regularly participates on the conference committees for Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, SIGCSE, ACM’s Conference for Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE), Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges — Northeastern Region (CCSCNE) and NYCWiC.


Degree Program University
Ph.D. Computer Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
M.S. Computer Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
B.S. Mathematics Siena College

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

Working with the first year courses, I feel part of my job is to mold students into good college students, computer scientists and future productive citizens.  I think it's important to be able to get a “good read” on your students so that you are aware if they are understanding the concepts or not.  It doesn’t make sense to continue on a progressive path if they don't understand the basics.  It is also important for the students to know that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you, as their professor, will be there to guide them when they do.  Finally, a professor needs to respect their efforts, but also hold them accountable when they don’t put forth their best effort.

·

What I Love About Siena

The small teacher to student ratio makes it easy for students to form relationships with their professors. This is necessary so that professors can discover individual students’ talents and suggest ways to help them learn and improve. The people here are amazing and the professors really care about the students.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

  • CSIS110, Introduction to Computer Science
  • CSIS180, Web Design
  • CSIS200, Diversity in Computer Science
The introductory courses are my favorite classes to teach because it is so exciting when a student who has never been exposed to computer science becomes interested and realizes that they are really good at it.  I never get tired of seeing a student “discover” computer science!

My Professional Experience

Year Title Organization
2010 - Now Professor Siena College
2004 - 2010 Associate Professor, Computer Science Siena College
1998 - 2004 Assistant Professor, Computer Science Siena College
1995 - 1997 Teaching assistant, Computer Science RPI
1994 - 1996 Lecturer, Computer Science Siena College
1993 - 1994 Teacher, Math Catholic Central HS
1989 - 1993 Teaching assistant, Computer Science RPI
1986 - 1989 Systems Manager General Electric

Current Research

  • Pedagogical influences on the recruitment and retention of women and minorities in Computer Science
  • Role of technology in improving people’s lives in developing countries
  • First year experience for CS majors (CS 0/1)
  • Outreach

Articles & Book Reviews

  • The best way to unblock the pipeline in CS is by getting everyone to code in schools. A debate
    ITiCSE (Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education)
    2016
  • The Impact of IMPACT: Assessing students' perceptions after a day of computer exploration
    Proc. 16th Annual Conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education
    2011
  • Recruitment of CS Majors through a Non-programmer's Programming Contest
    Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
    2010
  • Service Learning in Introductory Computer Science
    Proc. 15th Annual Conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education
    2010
  • Multi-level International Programs Working to Change Perceptions About IT Courses and Careers
    Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
    2009
  • Teaching a 'Women in Computer Science' Course
    Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education
    2007
  • Teaching a 'women in computer science' course
    SIGCSE Bulletin (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education)
    2007
  • Students with Asperger's Syndrome in the CS Classroom
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education
    2005
  • Students with Asperger's Syndrome in the CS Classroom
    SIGCSE Bulletin (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education)
    2005
  • Fuzzy Clustering of Technological Changes and Gender-Based Occupational Segregation
    North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society
    1999
  • Comparative Study of a Genetic Fuzzy c-means Algorithm and a Validity Guided Fuzzy c-means Algorithm for Locating Clusters in Noisy Data
    IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence
    1998
  • FCLUST: A Visualization Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education
    1998
  • FCLUST: A Visualization Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    SIGCSE Bulletin (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education)
    1998
  • Locating Clusters in Noisy Data: A Genetic Fuzzy c-means Clustering Algorithm
    North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society
    1998
  • A Java Simulation Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    Concurrency: Practice and Experience: Special Issue on Java for Science and Engineering
    1997
  • Java Simulation Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    SIGPLAN Symposium on Principles and Practice of Parallel Programming
    1997
  • The Importance of Outreach Programs to Encourage Girls into Computing Education
    International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education, vol. 12
    Oct-Dec, 2015

Awards & Distinctions

  • Vice President for Student Affairs Special Recognition Award
    Category: Service-University
    Siena College Student Affairs Office, 2003

Presentations

  • Effective Leadership
    2015
    CRA-W Mid Career Mentoring Worshop, Portland, Oregon
  • Panel on CS Careers
    2015
    SPARCS Program, Loudonville, New York
  • Panel on Diversity in Business and the Sciences
    2015
    Siena College Diversity Action Committee, Loudonville, United States of America
  • Searching and Sorting Algorithms
    2015
    SPARCS Program, Loudonville, New York
  • Strategies to Help with Promotion to Full Professor
    2015
    CRA-W Mid Career Mentoring Worshop, Portland, Oregon
  • Are we there yet? 21st Century Juggling of an Academic Career and Family Life
    2012
    Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Improving Lives with Technology: the Evolution of a Research Project
    2012
    Siena College Computer Science Department Colloquium, Loudonville, United States of America
  • The Impact of IMPACT: Assessing students' perceptions after a day of computer exploration
    June, 2011
    Proc. 16th Annual Conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, Darmstadt, Germany
  • Outreach Programs to Promote Computer Science and ICT to High School and Middle School Students
    2011
    Proc. 16th Annual Conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, Darmstadt, Germany
  • Service Learning in Introductory Computer Science
    June, 2010
    Proc. 15th Annual Conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education, Ankara, Turkey
  • Managing a Career through the Childbearing Years
    2010
    Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Recruitment of CS Majors through a Non-programmer's Programming Contest
    2010
    Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, Hartford, Connecticut
  • Multi-level International Programs Working to Change Perceptions About IT Courses and Careers
    2009
    Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Tucson, Arizona
  • An International Perspective on Successful Programs to Attract Women to ICT Presented by ACM-W Ambassadors
    2008
    Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, Keystone, Colorado
  • Perspectives on History in Computing and Education Panel
    2008
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Portland, Oregon
  • SIGCSE Committee on Expanding the Women-in-Computing Community Special Session
    2008
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Portland, Oregon
  • ACM-W's New Programs for Recruiting and Retaining Women in Computing Special Session
    2007
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Covington, Kentucky
  • Student IMPACT: An Alternative Programming Contest Poster Presentation
    2007
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Covington, Kentucky
  • Teaching a 'Women in Computer Science' Course
    2007
    Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Dundee, Scotland
  • Accessibility and Computer Science Education Panel
    2006
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Houston, Texas
  • Computer Science Education and Asperger's Syndrome Panel
    2006
    Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges, Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Students with Asperger's Syndrome in the CS Classroom
    2005
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, St. Louis, Missouri
  • We didn't start the fire, but we want to keep it burning: How to encourage women to continue in Computer Science
    2001
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Fuzzy Clustering of Technological Changes and Gender-Based Occupational Segregation
    1999
    North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society, New York, New York
  • Comparative Study of a Genetic Fuzzy c-means Algorithm and a Validity Guided Fuzzy c-means Algorithm for Locating Clusters in Noisy Data
    1998
    IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence, Anchorage, Alaska
  • FCLUST: A Visualization Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    1998
    Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Locating Clusters in Noisy Data: A Genetic Fuzzy c-means Clustering Algorithm
    1998
    North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society, Pensacola, Florida
  • Fuzzy Clustering Analysis Technological Changes and Gender-Based Occupational Segregation
    1997
    Eastern Economic Association, New York, New York
  • Fuzzy Clustering of Rodrigues-Frank Representations of Fiber Texture
    1997
    Chemistry and Physics of Materials Symposium on Non-Linear Effects in Materials Science, Unknown, Unknown
  • Java Simulation Tool for Fuzzy Clustering
    1997
    SIGPLAN Symposium on Principles and Practice of Parallel Programming, Las Vegas, Nevada