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mikeizbicki / cmc-csci181-languages

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CSCI181: Languages and Computing

About the Instructor
Name Mike Izbicki (call me Mike)
Email mizbicki@cmc.edu You should probably contact me through Github Issues
Office Adams 216
Office Hours See Issue #6
Zoom See Issue #1
Webpage https://izbicki.me
Research Machine Learning (see izbicki.me/research.html for some past projects)

Fun facts:

  1. grew up in San Clemente (~1 hr south of Claremont)
  2. 7 years in the navy
    1. nuclear submarine officer, personally converted >10g of uranium into pure energy
    2. worked at National Security Agency (NSA)
    3. left Navy as a conscientious objector
  3. phd/postdoc at UC Riverside
  4. taught in DPRK

About the class

What We'll Cover

This class will cover stuff I think is fun about language. For example:

  1. various tricks/pitfalls for programming with LLMs,
  2. how formal language theory (e.g. regular vs context free languages) influences are understanding of LLMs, and
  3. differences between computer languages and natural languages.

Material will be posted in the github folder as we cover it.

  1. I'll adjust the topics on-the-fly depending on what's "hot".
  2. If you have anything that you'd like us to cover, let me know.

Note: This course is not https://github.com/mikeizbicki/cmc-csci181-deeplearning.

Class Communication

We will be using github issues for all in-class communication.

  1. Press the "watch" button at the top of this repo to ensure that you get emailed as new issues are created.

  2. If you have class-related questions, you should post an issue and not email me.

Required background

You should able to code independently and figure out how to use random libraries.

The hardest thing for most people will probably be my use of git and the command line.

If you're not familiar with these tools:

  1. You might find the CS46 unix/git tutorial helpful.
  2. The QCL has lots of people who are familiar and can help you.

Grading

I'm treating this class like a graduate level seminar class.

assignment type point value amount
homework 1,000,000 between 1-15?
final project 10,000,000 1
exam 0 0

Final project overview:

  1. Do something cool loosely related to what we talk about in class.
  2. Put it in a github repo.
  3. Present it to me in person during finals week.

If you see a mistake in this repo anywhere, please submit a pull request. Your reward will be that I will respect you.

Collaboration Policy

Do whatever you want if it helps you learn. But be an adult and don't do anything stupid.

Accommodations

Just let me know what you need and I'll make it happen.