ISSUED: 24 January 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — A computer science professor from a university in China is getting a short course on what it’s like to teach at a small, American public university. Dr. Qing Lei from the School of Information and Management at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing is spending two months as a visiting professor in Shepherd’s Department of Computer Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering.
Lei was able to come to Shepherd through a personal connection. Dr. Weidong Liao, associate professor of computer and information sciences, is a college friend and the two have kept in touch over the years.
“I have been aware that Shepherd is a prestigious regional university that is active academically,” Lei said.
Lei, who has worked as a senior software developer, teaches computer science and information system courses at UIBE. However because she is only here for two months, Lei is not teaching an entire class. She is assisting with the Introduction to Robotics course.
“I am so glad to help students in the robotics class,” she said. “I hope I can share with students here a different perspective of college learning between the U.S. and in China. I am also very glad to collaborate with professors here at Shepherd in both research and teaching.”
Lei also wanted to spend time learning more about the new data analytics major Shepherd began offering at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. UIBE has also recently established a degree program in data science and big data technology.
“It is a great opportunity for me to exchange some ideas and experiences in the data analytics curriculum and its core courses,” Lei said. “I am going to write a proposal about the establishment of our new degree program in business data analytics.”
Lei also hopes she can help find opportunities for other collaboration between Shepherd and UIBE. This is the second time Lei has been a visiting scholar in the U.S. She also spent time at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which has a student enrollment of more than 28,000. This time she wanted to visit a smaller college and college town.
“Shepherd University and Shepherdstown are both very friendly and inviting. The town is so beautiful with friendly people,” she said. “I am very excited to be here.”
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