Computer Science Student Lands Competitive National Internship

June 18. 2009 -UW junior and honor student Christopher MacLellan, computer science and mathematics, Gilbert, Ariz., along with Matthew Fournier, a zoology/psychology and biology student from Cheyenne, are conducting research work this summer at two prestigious institutions.

MacLellan will develop software for the "Pluto" rover, which will regulate the movement of the motors onboard the exploration robot. The technology will be used in the development of all future planetary rover software and will be applicable even to robots already in space. Both students say UW has given them a competitive edge by providing individual research experiences outside the classroom.

MacLellan has prior experience in the Wyoming Cryptography Cohort, a National Science Foundation-funded research program led by Siguna Mueller, UW Department of Mathematics assistant professor.

"In this program, I gained experience in working in a highly technical group setting, translating group ideas into working computer programs," he says.