6 March 2012 It’s all in the application – retiring computing professor encouraged industry links with university

Knowing how to “do stuff” is not sufficient in the fast moving world of computer science and information technology, it’s knowing how to “apply” what you know, says Lincoln University’s retiring Professor of Applied Computing, Dr Alan McKinnon.

“Applied computing has been our teaching and research strength at Lincoln University,” says Professor McKinnon, whose career there stretches back to 1981 when he began as a Senior Programmer Analyst in Computer Services after several years in medical and biological sciences computing.

The Dunedin born, Canterbury University electrical engineering graduate took time out in 1985-86 for a stint as Interim Director of Computer Services at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, then returned to Lincoln University where he shortly became Director of the University’s Centre for Computing and Biometrics following the retirement of Neil Mountier.  His career since then has taken him to the academic rank of professor in his field of applied computing.

“Initially the professorship in applied computing had external funding from Aoraki Corporation and I was the Aoraki Professor of Applied Computing - later Jade Professor when the corporation changed its name. These named positions were a particular honour because it meant that the business world had seen relevance and application in what we were doing at Lincoln University. They provided public validation of the approach we were taking to teaching and research. Lincoln has always been a very ‘applied’ university.”

Appreciating  the importance of ensuring that the University’s teaching and research were relevant to the needs of industry, Professor McKinnon, as Head of Department, established  an industry liaison group to bring together the University’s applied computing academics with industry representatives.

“We meet twice a year and this group has been extremely valuable as a source of ideas and a sounding board for course and programme development.

“We believe we produce graduates who know how to understand a problem then develop a solution. The success of a group of our students winning through to represent New Zealand overseas in the 2009 International Microsoft Imagine Cup was all about identifying a problem and designing a solution. In their case it was concerned with the problem of poor literacy in many parts of the world and they designed and produced a computer-based solution they called LearnIT, to assist the learning of reading and writing.

“As staff we see ourselves as ‘applied scientists’ and we regard that as a strength. Applied computing sits between computer science and information systems and over the years the programmes offered by Lincoln University have evolved. When I started we taught principally into other degrees and diplomas.

“As the Centre for Computing and Biometrics, we taught computing, mathematics and statistics (biometrics) into many different degrees and diplomas and compulsory 100-level computing and statistics papers in the Commerce degrees. We also taught the mathematics papers in the Bachelor of Science programme. Following restructurings that occurred in 1997 and subsequent years, the statistics and mathematics teaching has gradually moved to other departments, so now the focus is on applied computing.

“It had been possible to major in computing with a commerce degree from1986, but a specifically named degree, the Bachelor of Applied Computing, was not offered until the mid-1990s. Now we offer named qualifications such as the Bachelor of Software and Information Technology at all levels from sub-degree through to PhD. I must pay tribute to my colleagues who have all contributed significantly to the development of these programmes.”

Professor McKinnon’s time at Lincoln University has spanned immense changes in computer technology. In 1967 the first computer - an IBM 1130 - was installed on the Lincoln University campus under Professor McKinnon’s predecessor as director of computing, Neil Mountier. This was relatively early in the New Zealand experience of computing. The first university computer in New Zealand (an IBM 1620) was installed at Canterbury University in 1962 and the first computer in the New Zealand Treasury (an IBM 650) began work in late 1960.

Professor McKinnon’s academic career has taken him on study sabbaticals to Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States of America. His research areas have included visualisation, image processing and modelling in relation to biological systems. He confesses that administrative duties as a computer centre director and head of department meant that there was little time for significant personal research activity prior to his appointment as professor. Nevertheless, he has enjoyed the challenging and varied nature of the research projects with which he has been involved.

“It has been immensely satisfying to help guide the development of applied computing at Lincoln University, to be involved with its contribution to industry and application in the world beyond the campus, and to see the careers of colleagues, undergraduates and postgraduates flourish.”

In retirement Professor McKinnon will initially continue contact with Lincoln University through some postgraduate supervision and contract lecturing.  Beyond that he says he will spend more time with his family - he and wife Barbara have seven grandchildren - do some travelling, and get into the many projects that have been waiting for spare time, such as editing the family’s collection of super-8 movies.