Computer science students seek software projects

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
12/20/07

University of Alaska Fairbanks computer science students are now accepting proposals for software design projects for their spring semester class.

The projects allow students to gain real-world experience while local government, public service and private organizations gain customized software free of charge. Typical prices for commercial custom software development projects like those done annually by UAF students can run as high as $40,000. The projects often require more than 650 hours of software development per team of five students.

Students have developed more than 57 successful projects in the last 19 years. Last spring, student teams developed four systems for local customers. One was software to automate UAF graduation processes and another was software to automate UAF admissions-related processes. The teams also developed a website database for Geophysical Institute geomagnetic data and a scheduling tool for the evolving Fairbanks North Star Borough bus system. All four projects were judged successful by their respective customers.

Previous clients include Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the City of North Pole, the Bureau of Land Management, IBM , the University of Alaska Museum of the North and the National Weather Service.

The deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 17, 2008. Requests can be submitted via e-mail to ffpjk@uaf.edu or by regular mail to: Department of Computer Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756670, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-6670. Proposals should include a basic description of your organization’s needs and contact information. Direct phone inquiries to Victoria Fortune at 907-474-2777.

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu .