By Mike Touma

The computer science department introduced a new program last semester in response to the recent spike in UMD undergraduates pursuing the major.

The lab, Breakerspace, was created by assistant professor and co-chair of the departmental honors program Dave Levin in the summer of 2018, when the volume of students was at an all-time high.

“Computer science education is exploding around the nation, around the world,” Levin said. “It is just skyrocketing, the number of folks majoring in computer science.”

The problem arose when seniors were unable to sign up for their upper-level classes because there wasn’t enough space. Levin teaches sections of multiple courses, all with hundreds of undergrads packed into lecture halls around campus.

Levin, along with a number of professors in the computer science department, are calling for more space to teach their students — but they are having a hard time finding the real estate. Breakerspace, however, has found new ways to handle the large volume of students without the extra physical space.

Professors and students typically work one-on-one during research labs. In Breakerspace, Levin works with a group of students at a time — a viable solution for a department with a disproportionate faculty-to-student ratio.

The lab that Levin created is aimed around research, which he said is a vital part of computer science education. He currently teaches 20 students.

The benefits of Breakerspace extend beyond just being resourceful. Levin, who graduated from UMD in the early 2000s, said he took this project to heart because he wanted his students to have the opportunity he wished he had experienced.

“Collectively, they can start to achieve things that none of them could have done individually,” Levin said.

A community has formed in this way, bringing computer science students together through the research they are conducting. Right now, they are working toward publishing their work. In the past, this option was only possible for graduate students.

“You have a whole team who can help you review and edit and that process for the writing and publication,” said Rachel Walter, a junior computer science major and Breakerspace team member.

Walter said she has used her newly acquired skills to detect malware in technology like smart home devices.

With the camaraderie building in each project, the Breakerspace team has grown from a school organization to an extended family.

“The great thing about Breakerspace is that we’re working with other students through the projects together and we learn from each other,” senior computer science major Nicholas Francino said.

The future for the lab, Levin said, is bright. He hopes that Breakerspace will continue to grow as long as students continue to take interest in computer science research.

“I love working with motivated, bright students,” Levin said. “And man, is there a demand.”