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“Professor Liew has a unique way of providing me with just enough information to open the door into a new subject area, then letting me explore and learn on my own,” says Jason Cromer, a junior computer science major from Dillsburg, Pa., and a graduate of Northern High School. “I am happy to be studying at a place where professors care so much about the education their students receive. It is very rewarding to work with people who want you to learn and are always pushing you onward.
Marquis Scholar Jason Cromer is analyzing advanced database systems and their application to the Internet in an independent study with Chun Wai Liew, assistant professor of computer science. The research has led him to grapple with questions faced by industry leaders.
“The project is primarily to learn advanced database concepts, but we are looking specifically at how databases are used to fuel the information that is displayed in dynamic web pages,” Cromer says.
“I’m very interested in web systems because they combine a broad array of computer knowledge, have greater problem-solving needs, and heavily impact society today,” he continues. “This independent study is giving me a unique opportunity to learn new material while incorporating my previous computer skills to study one of the most influential methods of communication in the modern era.”
With the proliferation of e-commerce and the explosion of on-line inventories, companies need to be able to better manage their existing databases. Therefore, Cromer’s work has direct applications in the real world.
“The web has changed the use of databases today. Databases do more than just hold data. Now there are ‘smart’ databases from which we can infer, or extrapolate, or potentially answer a question, as opposed to non-dynamic blocks of information,” Liew says. “Jason’s current work is eliminating possibly two years of graduate school. It gives him a very strong lead into a career. He is learning the right questions to ask.”
“Professor Liew has a unique way of providing me with just enough information to open the door into a new subject area, then letting me explore and learn on my own,” says Cromer, who is considering pursuing a doctorate in computer science. “I am happy to be studying at a place where professors care so much about the education their students receive. It is very rewarding to work with people who want you to learn and are always pushing you onward. Professor Liew has combined all these qualities with a profound understanding of computer science in both industry and academia. It’s a great opportunity.”
Another Side of Jason
He’s the president of the Lafayette student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery and assists fellow students as a peer tutor. An active participant in intramural sports, he is a charter member of the “Dry Surfers” living group in Keefe Hall, Lafayette’s newest student residence. The group’s 19 members share an interest in high technology and substance-free living.