Meet the Faculty - Mai Al-Khatib

Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.

I got my undergraduate degree in computer science at The University of Jordan. After I graduated, I worked in industry in Jordan for about five years before I got the opportunity to come to the University of Minnesota to get my master’s degree in computer science. During my master’s program, I realized that I like academia more than industry, so when I graduated, I went back to Jordan and taught introductory-level computing courses at The German Jordanian University for five years. It was a really rewarding experience and validated my career switch.

Eventually I decided I wanted to get my PhD but wanted to pursue work with involvement with the humanities. I came back to the U of M to get my PhD in cognitive science and took a few classes in computer science during that program. I wanted to get into an interdisciplinary field that brought computing into understanding and modeling of cognition, specifically language and bilingualism.

I attended the CS&E Research Showcase last year with my son who’s in high school and I wanted to give him exposure to computer science work. Mats gave a speech that day and mentioned that they are looking for more teachers, so I decided to apply and get back into teaching computer science.

Why do you love computer science and what are your interests within the field?

Computer science is a field that allows us to solve problems and find efficient solutions to difficult problems. You have a machine and can work on these complex problems from anywhere in the world. That was really attractive to me; the practicality and flexibility of the field.

My interests within the field have evolved. I was initially interested in artificial intelligence (AI) because of its similarities with cognition. I like learning about how people think and develop language, and AI helps to simulate that process. When I was working in Jordan, there were not as many opportunities in AI, so I shifted to database management systems because there was a bigger market for that work. That was the focus of my master’s program as well. Then in my PhD work, I leaned back into AI and cognitive architectures because of its overlap with cognitive science. I also have done some work with virtual reality and explored building psychological studies that immerse people in a specific environment using technology. Additionally, I have worked in computational linguistics and its connections to language processing in bilingualism.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

I see teaching as a way to empower students, especially students who are less privileged. I enjoy working through the challenges to inclusivity and adapting my teaching to an individual’s strengths and limitations arising from inequity in access to support systems. I want to help empower people to move forward in their career and stand on their own two feet.

Which courses are you teaching this spring? What can students expect to get out of that class?

I am teaching CSCI 2011 - Discrete Structures of Computer Science and CSCI 3041 - Introduction to Discrete Structures and Algorithms. Discrete mathematics is a foundational class that teaches a special type of mathematics that gives a student a small introduction to a diverse set of topics. They get exposure to multiple topics that can come up in their more advanced courses. 3041 is a blended class where students get a fast-paced look at discrete structures topics for half of the semester, and then transition to algorithms and data structures.

What do you do outside of the classroom for fun?

I like cooking and gardening. I also like attending and participating in performing arts events.

Do you have a favorite spot in the city?

Our campus is really beautiful. I like the walkway on the Washington Street Bridge. There is such a scenic view of campus and the river area, especially in the fall.

Is there anything else you would like students to know about you?

English is my second language, so if I mispronounce something, please let me know. I strive to maintain a classroom that fosters inclusion and repels judgment. Bilingualism is a topic that is very dear to my heart and I tend to see the cognitive taxing of processing scientific topics in a second language. I’ll be happy to assist multilingual students in my classes to overcome the language barrier whenever it is within my means.