6 ms·

I think most interesting computer science fields are actually application of CS in other domains. Science changed a lot in the last decades, moving from a geni

I think most interesting computer science fields are actually application of CS in other domains. Science changed a lot in the last decades, moving from a genius in a room looking at the data and coming up with grand theory to have vast amounts of data that no single human can make sense of. The work of the computer scientist is to quickly understand problems from various fields then solve it using tailor-made algorithm that leverage the prior knowledge, the data structure. One of such interesting fields (which I'm working on), is computational biology. We're working on leveraging sparse experimental data for protein structure prediction. To do that, we end up using algorithms and ideas from different various CS fields, from machine learning, to robotics, to distributed systems. Other people are working on exciting fields like computation protein design, studying drug protein interaction in silico..

denzil_correa 8y ago
> We're working on leveraging sparse experimental data for protein structure prediction. To do that, we end up using algorithms and ideas from different various CS fields, from machine learning, to robotics, to distributed systems. Other people are working on exciting fields like computation protein design, studying drug protein interaction in silico.. Are there particular methods you use to deal with little and sparse data?
- resiros 8y ago
  We're basically merging the sparse experimental data we get with other priors we have (the energy landscape, residue-residue contacts predicted from evolutionary data) in a Expectation Maximization kind of algorithm, where each step you get better predictions (in the sense of they satisfy the experimental data while agreeing with the priors from the problem (low energy, nice fold..).
niklasd 8y ago
Yes! I studied law before CS and now I learn all these algorithms which deal with questions about how to do something efficiently – and these algorithms are unkown by all these people thinking about important questions in this field. And I think this also applies to other fields. I gave the book "Algorithms To Live By" (which is basically an overview of CS algorithms) to a medicine student and he was immediately inspiried and came up with ideas on how to apply these ideas on his research. CS algorithms are just so basically true that I think they should be more universally known.
- terminalcommand 8y ago
  Slightly off-topic but I wanted to ask why and when did you start studying CS after law. I recently graduated from law school and now am an intern at a law firm. I have a strong interest for CS, and it bothered me for a long time that I went to law school instead of CS. I'v overcome those feelings over the years and dedicated myself to become a lawyer. But your post caught my interest. I'd be glad if you could share some of the story behind you studying cs after getting your law degree.
  - niklasd 8y ago
    After my law degree I worked for a year in a big international law firm (I didn't yet had my license, so I was a kind of trainee – similar to you position right now). I realised that there is a huge interest in technical solutions to make the work more efficient (often labeled as "Legal Tech"). But there was very little actual understanding of technologie, which I think is one of the reasons why there aren't yet many real world application which are really making a difference. That was when I decided to go back to university for a CS degree. Some learnings so far: 1) I get great feedback for my decision from other lawyers, who are genereally very interested but not well versed in tech. 2) Legal Tech feels a bit overhyped right now, but eventually it will change the field drastically. Law firms need lawyers who have technical skills. And that doesn't necessarily mean a whole CS degree, some programming skills etc. will already do it. I personally love tech that much that I don't want to go back to a law firm to practise law, but rather actually develop technology. But for you, if you want to become a lawyer, I can promise you that you will find a fertil ground for your interest. It soon will be one of the most sought after skills for law firms. So if you learn some programming (maybe you already know some), take some online courses (there are great resources for CS online), then the next time your law firm gets offered a (as magic advertised) ML tool or needs to implement a new tech solution which really influcences the workflow, you will be the star of the firm for being a critical but competent colleague. Or if you're starting your own law firm, I think there is great potential for a more automated workflow. In your position, I would be very glad for you CS interest – you in the right field and it is the right time for it!:)
    - 8y ago
DanielBMarkham 8y ago
Agreed. CS is the study of translating human needs into formal systems. In a way, it's "applied philosophy". I think taking CS and "bouncing it off" of other disciplines is where the real magic happens.
- austinjp 8y ago
  Fully agree with this. I'm amazed that even in universities and similar organisations, nobody from Dept X wanders into Dept Y and simply asks "I'm working on this problem, anybody got any ideas?" It happens, but far too rarely. Universities understand silos. Supervisors get nervous when a student wants or needs to work with another department. There are reasons for this: supervision and grading become hard, and funding applications become complex. But this simply uncovers the depth of the silo effect. Arts departments are at the vanguard here. You'll be far more likely to find a fashion PhD working with a biologist than you would to find a comp sci PhD working with a lawyer. Perhaps medicine gets it too, but even then it's largely the lab-based stuff like image processing. The clinical and public health worlds are only starting to gain exposure. That's my experience anyway, hopefully others have counter experiences.
tastyham 8y ago
Nothing in your example is being "leveraged". "Use" is the word you're looking for.
- resiros 8y ago
  leverage: use (something) to maximum advantage. "the organization needs to leverage its key resources"
bovermyer 8y ago
One field where CS might be put to interesting use is history. Utilizing machine learning to process and analyze historical texts could shine a light on patterns that have gone unnoticed thus far.
- balladeer 8y ago
  I was looking for a MS in CS (looked in EU; as that's where I want to go for my MS) that would've help me with application of CS in liberal arts. I am specifically interested in fields like literature, history, and archaeology. Couldn't find anything. I would want something where it doesn't just enabled me use CS tools and algo to apply to works in those fields (a crude example would be: use of some ML also on Shakespeare's works) but also lets me study both that field and CS.
  - c0nfused 8y ago
    You should look into the digital humanities. Basically, its a big basket, at least on the US side of the pond, where all that stuff goes. The downside is that you are probably not going to get your MS in CS through it.

denzil_correa 8y ago

> We're working on leveraging sparse experimental data for protein structure prediction. To do that, we end up using algorithms and ideas from different various CS fields, from machine learning, to robotics, to distributed systems. Other people are working on exciting fields like computation protein design, studying drug protein interaction in silico.. Are there particular methods you use to deal with little and sparse data?

resiros 8y ago
We're basically merging the sparse experimental data we get with other priors we have (the energy landscape, residue-residue contacts predicted from evolutionary data) in a Expectation Maximization kind of algorithm, where each step you get better predictions (in the sense of they satisfy the experimental data while agreeing with the priors from the problem (low energy, nice fold..).

niklasd 8y ago

Yes! I studied law before CS and now I learn all these algorithms which deal with questions about how to do something efficiently – and these algorithms are unkown by all these people thinking about important questions in this field. And I think this also applies to other fields. I gave the book "Algorithms To Live By" (which is basically an overview of CS algorithms) to a medicine student and he was immediately inspiried and came up with ideas on how to apply these ideas on his research. CS algorithms are just so basically true that I think they should be more universally known.

terminalcommand 8y ago
Slightly off-topic but I wanted to ask why and when did you start studying CS after law. I recently graduated from law school and now am an intern at a law firm. I have a strong interest for CS, and it bothered me for a long time that I went to law school instead of CS. I'v overcome those feelings over the years and dedicated myself to become a lawyer. But your post caught my interest. I'd be glad if you could share some of the story behind you studying cs after getting your law degree.
- niklasd 8y ago
  After my law degree I worked for a year in a big international law firm (I didn't yet had my license, so I was a kind of trainee – similar to you position right now). I realised that there is a huge interest in technical solutions to make the work more efficient (often labeled as "Legal Tech"). But there was very little actual understanding of technologie, which I think is one of the reasons why there aren't yet many real world application which are really making a difference. That was when I decided to go back to university for a CS degree. Some learnings so far: 1) I get great feedback for my decision from other lawyers, who are genereally very interested but not well versed in tech. 2) Legal Tech feels a bit overhyped right now, but eventually it will change the field drastically. Law firms need lawyers who have technical skills. And that doesn't necessarily mean a whole CS degree, some programming skills etc. will already do it. I personally love tech that much that I don't want to go back to a law firm to practise law, but rather actually develop technology. But for you, if you want to become a lawyer, I can promise you that you will find a fertil ground for your interest. It soon will be one of the most sought after skills for law firms. So if you learn some programming (maybe you already know some), take some online courses (there are great resources for CS online), then the next time your law firm gets offered a (as magic advertised) ML tool or needs to implement a new tech solution which really influcences the workflow, you will be the star of the firm for being a critical but competent colleague. Or if you're starting your own law firm, I think there is great potential for a more automated workflow. In your position, I would be very glad for you CS interest – you in the right field and it is the right time for it!:)
  - 8y ago

DanielBMarkham 8y ago

Agreed. CS is the study of translating human needs into formal systems. In a way, it's "applied philosophy". I think taking CS and "bouncing it off" of other disciplines is where the real magic happens.

austinjp 8y ago
Fully agree with this. I'm amazed that even in universities and similar organisations, nobody from Dept X wanders into Dept Y and simply asks "I'm working on this problem, anybody got any ideas?" It happens, but far too rarely. Universities understand silos. Supervisors get nervous when a student wants or needs to work with another department. There are reasons for this: supervision and grading become hard, and funding applications become complex. But this simply uncovers the depth of the silo effect. Arts departments are at the vanguard here. You'll be far more likely to find a fashion PhD working with a biologist than you would to find a comp sci PhD working with a lawyer. Perhaps medicine gets it too, but even then it's largely the lab-based stuff like image processing. The clinical and public health worlds are only starting to gain exposure. That's my experience anyway, hopefully others have counter experiences.

tastyham 8y ago

Nothing in your example is being "leveraged". "Use" is the word you're looking for.

resiros 8y ago
leverage: use (something) to maximum advantage. "the organization needs to leverage its key resources"

bovermyer 8y ago

One field where CS might be put to interesting use is history. Utilizing machine learning to process and analyze historical texts could shine a light on patterns that have gone unnoticed thus far.

balladeer 8y ago
I was looking for a MS in CS (looked in EU; as that's where I want to go for my MS) that would've help me with application of CS in liberal arts. I am specifically interested in fields like literature, history, and archaeology. Couldn't find anything. I would want something where it doesn't just enabled me use CS tools and algo to apply to works in those fields (a crude example would be: use of some ML also on Shakespeare's works) but also lets me study both that field and CS.
- c0nfused 8y ago
  You should look into the digital humanities. Basically, its a big basket, at least on the US side of the pond, where all that stuff goes. The downside is that you are probably not going to get your MS in CS through it.