Meet the Faculty - Adriana Picoral
Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.
As an undergraduate, I always wanted to teach. That is what I wanted to pursue for a career. Coding was also always part of my life. I had my first class in third grade and it changed my life. I have such a passion for coding, and it made such a huge impact on my life that I knew I wanted to teach other people. I looked for opportunities to teach while getting my undergraduate degree in computer science. Then I went on to get my PhD in applied linguistics, which focused on computational linguistics and covered teaching and learning.
My first job after finishing my PhD program in 2020 was teaching data science in the School of Information at the University of Arizona, and eventually moved over to teach in computer science. I taught at the University of Arizona for five years. I wanted to come to the University of Minnesota because I knew there was a strong group of teaching faculty. I wanted to come somewhere that would have more opportunities to improve my teaching and learn from some of the best.
What do you like about computer science?
I started coding when I was 8 years old and it felt like magic. If you write the correct words, you can make awesome things happen. I also like the immediate feedback you get if something is a little off. You can go back and fix your mistakes without judgement. Coding is really shaped like the learning process, it takes a lot of trial and error but you get better over time. It is the best feeling when you finally solve a bug or a problem that you have worked on for awhile. Computer science gives you such a satisfying feeling of accomplishment. It is like a puzzle and I have always loved that.
What do you enjoy most about teaching? What are your teaching interests?
I like teaching introduction courses because learning how to code had such an impact on my life and I like sharing that with students who are getting into the subject for the first time. I like when students find their passion for a subject. Maybe they thought they couldn’t do it or computer science is not for them, but then they actually fall in love with it. When I am able to spark their curiosity, then they go above and beyond. I love the transition from showing up to take the required course, to showing up excited to learn.
Which courses are you teaching this spring? What can students expect to get out of that class?
I’m teaching CSCI 1913 and CSCI 1933. They both focus on data structures and algorithms, but one is for computer science majors and the other is mainly for non-majors. One covers Python and Java and the other only covers Java.
What I hope students get out of it is the joy of solving a puzzle and learning a language, especially with the rise of AI. At the end of the day, AI can beat any human in chess, so why do people still learn to play chess? People still do it because you can find joy in it, and I hope this class inspires the joy of learning to code.
What do you do outside of the classroom for fun?
I have a lot of hobbies! I actually start my classes by talking about hobbies, because like hobbies, coding is a skill and you need to engage with it and practice to be good at it. I enjoy crocheting, drawing, and painting. I enjoy hobbies where I get to use my creativity and I can make mistakes. I also like biking and look forward to getting out on the trails in the Twin Cities once it warms up.
Do you have a favorite spot in the city?
I enjoy all of the parks in the city. I walk my dog every day and we like to explore different parks. We like the Gold Medal Park and Stone Arch Bridge area.
Is there anything else you would like students to know about you?
I try my best to make lectures fun. I take learning very seriously since that is why people come to college. I tell my students that I love teaching and computer science and I am always trying my best to give students a lecture that they can’t get anywhere by making things interactive. I love it when students participate in class and share their ideas.