It may only be the first week of the semester, but Engineering Professor Michael Kearns already has big plans for his newly created network computer science class, Computer Science and Engineering 112. To demonstrate a social network, Kearns plans on inviting all 40 students in the class to join his "Friendster network, a dating service [based on] social connectivity. Everyone in the class will periodically revisit it," he said.
By the end of the semester, Kearns predicts that this Friendster network will include not only his students, but their friends and family reaching people all over the globe.
This simple demonstration will allow Kearns to begin to show "how many degrees of separation are indeed between people," he said.
Through the use of sociology, game theory, psychology, economics and technological structures, Kearns hopes to teach students that there is an emerging science out there based on a network-centered system.
No course like "Networked Life" has been offered in the past. Now, however, "is a great time to teach this class," Kearns said, adding that "there are many new and exciting accessible descriptions" detailing the wide range of networks forming in society.
Engineering Dean Eduardo Glandt praised Kearns' work and new course.
"He's extremely unusual," Glandt said, praising "both his depth and breadth."
"He can talk about anything in such an articulate way, and if I had time, that's one course I'd love to sit in," he said.
Glandt said he hopes Kearns will ultimately write a textbook for this course, for it would be very valuable to the University and computer science as a whole.
College senior and class enrollee Matthew Hartman also agrees on the importance of Kearns' class.
"When I decided to be a cognitive science major, I had to figure out a way to explain the kind of material that I study to my dad," Hartman said. "Professor Kearns' class takes the concepts that we learn in cognitive science and computer science and shows how they can be applied to everyday life."
"Networked Life" will serve the purpose Hartman explained by acting as "a systematic walk through different scientific ways of connecting things," Kearns said.
The course has no formal prerequisites and is open to all Penn students. The material discussed will serve as a link between a typical engineering course involving quantitative assignments and a traditional humanities course involving reading prose and writing short essays.
A networking class would not be complete without explaining "the viral spread of fashion and ideas," Kearns said.
Students will learn how the Hush Puppies shoe company made a comeback in the market through a networking system that began with a few trendsetters in Manhattan's Lower East Side as they study Malcolm Gladwell's book entitled The Tipping Point.
Not only has the Engineering School been pleased with Kearns' work, but many of his students said they have been impressed with his course so far.
Praising a first-day class experiment testing generosity, Engineering junior Zaid Mohiuddin said he believes that "more Penn classes should follow along with Michael Kearns' example."
As the semester progresses, many students have high expectations for Kearns.
"I wouldn't be surprised if a similar class began to show up at other universities once they learn about what he is doing at Penn," Hartman said.
