Sean Mackay
PhD Candidate
Department of Engineering Education
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
snmackay@buffalo.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-0358-7594
Google ScholarResearch Areas
Computing Education Research
Second and Third Year Student Issues
Threshold Concepts
Programming Languages
Technical Skills
Python
Ocaml
Interpreters/Compilers
IT Infrastructure
About Me
I am a fifth-year PhD Candidate in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo. My background is in computing and I have years of experience working both in the information technology sector as well as having completed a BS in Computer Science in 2020 at the University at Buffalo. My motivation for beginning working within the computing education space stems from experiences I had during my undergraduate education, both in terms of my own struggles as well as the struggles I witnessed my peers go through. These struggles became particularly apparent after the first year of undergrad, and served as a motivation for the population of students I am most interested in studying and supporting: second and third year undergraduate students in computer science.
My research now focuses on studying the difficulties that students during their second and third years face when it comes to the content they are expected to learn. As educators, we can have the most impact on students' success by impacting their learning experiences in our classrooms: by working with this traditionally understudied population to better understand what hurdles exist during these years, I aim to work towards building a path towards developing interventions to supporting these students through these difficult years.
Work Experience
CSE 115 Instructor / University at Buffalo
August 2024 - Current
Serving as one of the faculty members for CSE 115 for Fall 2024.
Summer Adjunct Professor / University at Buffalo
June 2021 - Current
Summer adjunct professor for Intro to Computer Science 1 (CSE 115).
Graduate Research Assistant / University at Buffalo
June 2020 - Current
Research Assistant for Dr. Adrienne Decker on several projects including my dissertation.
Software Development & IT Consultant
May 2015 - Current
Working with clients on managing their technology infrastructure and in-house software requirements.
Graduate Teaching Assistant / University at Buffalo
August 2020 - December 2020
Graduate teaching assistant in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences for EAS 230 (introduction to Matlab.)
Undergraduate Research Assistant / University at Buffalo
May 2018 - June 2020
Research Assistant in the Computer Science department with Dr. Sridhar from June 2018 - December 2018
Research Assistant with Dr. Adrienne Decker from June 2019 - June 2020
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant / University at Buffalo
Feb 2018 - July 2020
Teaching assistant for a wide array of computer science courses.
- CSE 113: Introduction to Programming For Nonmajors
- CSE 115: Introduction to Computer Science 1
- CSE 250: Data Structures
- CSE 331: Algorithms Design and Analysis
- CSE 442: Software Engineering
- CSE 305: Programming Languages
My Education
University at Buffalo
2020 - Anticipated May 2025
PhD, Engineering Education
Dissertation Proposed: Interventions to Support Upper-Division Student Retention
Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Adrienne Decker
4.0 GPA
University at Buffalo
2016 - 2020
Bachelors of Science in Computer Science
3.7 GPA, Magna Cum Laude
My Publications
FIE 2024
Using Chat-GPT to Create Multiple Choice CS ExamsType: Accepted Work-In-Progress Paper
Authors: Karol Lejmbach, Sean Mackay
FIE 2024
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Differing Approaches to Generative AI in Two Computer Science ClassroomsType: Accepted Full Paper
Authors: Sean Mackay, Kurt Eiselt, Adrienne Decker
FIE 2024
Interview Iterations and Improvements for Identifying Intermediate Computer Science Threshold ConceptsType: Accepted Work-In-Progress Paper
Authors: Sean Mackay, Brian McSkimming, Adrienne Decker
ICER 2023
Investigating Troublesome Knowledge in Middle-Year Computer Science Courses to Support RetentionType: Doctoral Consortium Publication
Authors: Sean Mackay, Adrienne Decker
FIE 2023
Identification of Threshold Concepts for Intermediate Computer Science StudentsType: Work In Progress Paper
Authors: Brian McSkimming, Sean Mackay, Adrienne Decker
SIGCSE 2022
What Does Literature Tell Us About Recursion?Type: ACM Student Research Competition Poster
Authors: Sean Mackay
FIE 2022
Investigating the Connection Between Sense of Belonging and Academic DishonestyType: Conference Work in Progress Paper
Authors: Sean Mackay, Jessica Swenson
FIE 2021
Investigating the usage of Likert-style items within Computer Science Education Research InstrumentsType: Conference Paper
Authors: Brian McSkimming, Sean Mackay, Adrienne Decker
FIE 2020
Updating our Understanding of the Impact of Pre-College Computing Experiences on University StudentsType: Conference Paper
Authors: Sean Mackay, Adrienne Decker
Conferences Attended
ICER 2019
Toronto, Canada
SIGCSE 2020
Portland, Oregon
SIGCSE 2022
Providence, Rhode Island
SIGCSE 2023
Toronto, Canada
ICER 2023
Chicago, Illinois
SIGCSE 2024
Portland, Oregon