Political Science Psychology Sociology Dr. Joel Adams professor of Computer Science at Calvin College contributed to this article Computers are present in nearly every aspect of our lives. We use personal computers at home and at work to perform tasks that are immediately necessary for our daily personal and work requirements. Most of us are aware that systems of computers are used for everything from sending e-mail to controlling nuclear power. If solving problems with computer technology is fascinating to you, computer science may be the field you are looking for.
Computer science is the science of computation, and as such, it has two roots.
The first is a mathematical root, which deals with creating theoretical models of computing. The second is an engineering root, which deals with implementation, both in the sense of hardware and in the structure of software. The science aspect of the field applies to finding boundaries and limitations of the content, speed, and efficiency of what can be computed. Algorithms then become the blueprints for problem solutions in the form of computer programs. Whereas computations used to be done by the mind alone, the computer is now used to accomplish in seconds what once took hours, days, or even years.