Computer Science Education: Where Are the Software Engineers of Tomorrow? (2008)
Argues U.S. computer science education overemphasizes theory while neglecting practical software engineering skills like design patterns, architecture, and testing, leaving graduates unprepared for building large, reliable real-world systems.
Background
- Robert Dewar and Edmond Schonberg are NYU computer scientists, best known for leading the development of the GNU Ada Compiler (GNAT). Ada is a high-reliability programming language mandated by the US Department of Defense for mission-critical systems like avionics, weapons, and air traffic control.
- This article appeared in *CrossTalk*, the US Air Force's software engineering journal. It argues that university CS programs have abandoned low-level fundamentals (memory management, pointers, assembly, concurrency) in favor of Java and "soft" topics, producing graduates unfit for safety-critical engineering.
- The core concern: when a software bug can kill people (in a fighter jet or satellite), developers need deep understanding of how code interacts with hardware — not just how to call libraries. The authors see this gap as a national security risk.
- The piece captures a long-running debate that remains unresolved: Should CS education teach immediately marketable skills or lasting engineering fundamentals? And can students write secure, efficient code if they never learn what happens beneath the language runtime?