Amy Wang

Year in School
Sophomore

Major
Computer Science

Research Interests
Artificial Intelligence Computers and Education Interactive Computing

Research Mentor
Prof. Colleen Lewis

Research/Engagement Experience
I joined PeopleWeave as part of their data metrics team to help find interesting and useful patterns in data. I also teach CS as a part-time job, helping students in various topics and expand their creativity.

Interests
CS Education, artificial intelligence, interactive computing, algorithms.

Project Title
TBD

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I took a couple of CS courses in high school, and I loved that it brought together some of my favorite interests: math, problem-solving, and creativity. It was fascinating how the subject encouraged me to tackle challenges with curiosity; each project felt like an opportunity to uncover something new, gradually solving puzzles and connecting the dots.

What social interests matter to me?
CS Education and equity!

What is my most impactful college experience?
Exploring different clubs on campus with my friends--it was cool to figure out (more specifically) where my interests lie and to meet diverse groups of people on campus.

These are a few of my favorite things!
Reading, doodling, exploring campus with friends, and playing violin.

Research Description
Python Tutor (PythonTutor.com) is a tool that provides an interactive visualization of code. This is intended to help beginning students learn to understand and trace the execution of code. However, Python Tutor only shows students a single step of execution at a time. We hypothesize that showing students two steps of execution could make it easier for them to connect the code with the visualization. Our goal is to compare two versions of Python Tutor to see if we can improve students’ ability to reason about Python code. This is important because we may be able to develop strategies to help students better understand the fundamentals of programming. We plan to use a randomized controlled trial to compare students’ learning when they use the standard vs. our modified Python Tutor in a set of activities. As a first step, we are developing a modified version of Python Tutor that displays two steps of execution.

Biography
Amy Wang is a sophomore majoring in computer science from Princeton, New Jersey. Her passion for computer science began with the courses she took in high school, where her teacher frequently encouraged creative thinking through his unique assignments. She deeply enjoys teaching students, having done so since high school, and is passionate about combining this interest with her research to improve the quality of CS education. In her free time, you'll probably find Amy reading, doodling, or going on fun exploration adventures with her friends.