Contact: Bob Ratliff
A recent handout surprised students in Rayford Vaughn's computer science class.
Instead of the usual pop quiz or graded paper, the Mississippi State University associate professor of computer science presented each of the 19 students with a certificate of appreciation from the United States Navy.
The official documents recognized their achievement for "conducting a software engineering class project that provided benefit to the Data Warehouse of the Naval Oceanographic Office." John A. Lever, chief information officer for the Naval Oceanographic Office at the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, was the signatory on each sheet.
At the Navy's request, Vaughn's students in the software specifications course had taken on the challenge of reviewing the Navy Oceanographic Office's huge computer file containing naval information on the world's oceans. In addition to obvious military applications, the database also contains public areas available to such varied users as meteorologists and "perfect wave"-seeking surfers.
"Our task was to review the data warehouse requirements document for incompleteness, ambiguity or incorrectness," said Janna S. Hamaker of Starkville, a computer science graduate student and class leader for the project. "We worked in three teams on different aspects of the project, with the entire class meeting several times to create the final product."
Hamaker was among several members who also traveled to Stennis to interview some of the more than 1,000 Naval Oceanographic Office personnel and incorporate the information they provided into the final 95-page report.
"This has been a very beneficial collaboration with MSU," said Lever, who grew up not far from MSU in Noxubee County. "The students have done an exceptional job of refining our documentation."
Lever, a civilian employee at the Stennis Center, said the Naval Oceanographic Office hopes to continue the relationship with Vaughn and the computer science department.
In the past, "real-world" clients of Vaughn's classes have included health-care organizations and retail florists, among others. Over the years, he said former students have praised the required project for helping prepare them for work challenges encountered after graduation.
"Our class experienced many of the trials software engineers face out in industry," said Hamaker, in agreement. She added: "For instance, we all underestimated the amount of time and work that would be involved in this Navy project."