The Computer as a Canvas: Dr. John Seiffertt Revives Computer Science Program
Written by Aubrey Gulick
As the world had developed and changed, so have artistic mediums. For John Seiffertt, computers and software programing are just another medium. “When you have a computer, you can do so much,” he said. “It’s just a canvas for you to go and create all these wonderful things.”
Seiffert joined Hillsdale’s faculty in fall 2021 as an associate professor in computer science. He received his Ph.D. in computer engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2009. He specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) and has been published several times in peer-reviewed magazines, including IEEE.
“AI connects us back to humans, because artificial intelligence is the first time we’ve been able to create something that could potentially be a mirror for humanity,” he said. “The philosophy side is, well, now we can stare into ourselves and learn something about our own relationships.”
Seiffertt is working on reviving Hillsdale’s computer science program. “Students are really, really hungry for computer science,” he said. “There’s already three or four students who have talked to me about going to graduate school for computer science.”
When it comes to the classroom, Seiffertt encourages open discussion and spontaneity. “We’re making things in class. I will be at the projector, and I’ll write programs from scratch in class, and we’ll talk about what the next steps are, and what we are trying to accomplish,” he said.
Seiffertt encourages students from all departments to take courses in computer science. Programing can help in any field, he says, whether that is historical simulations, studying language patterns, data analysis, or scientific simulations. “We are part of the Mathematics Department, but computer science isn’t just for people who are interested in mathematics.”
Computer science is a mix of engineering and philosophy, Seiffertt says, and deserves a place in the liberal arts. “I think what computer science has to offer is that through engineering, you’re actually aligning with creation instead of being constrained by an interior view and just thinking through things. We can take what we see inside our head and put it into action and by doing so, better understand God.”
Aubrey Gulick, ’23, is from Dayton, Ohio, studying history and journalism. She is the oldest of 10 and enjoys playing music with her family while wrangling younger siblings. She hopes to continue pursuing writing and music after graduation, and to eventually raise a family of her own.
Published in March 2022