Professor Polack
Professor Polack, a distinguished computer science professor at the University of Mary Washington, possesses a deep curiosity for global exploration. Driven by a desire to broaden her understanding of different cultures and technological landscapes, she aspires to study abroad in countries across the world. Professor Polack's ambition to study abroad exemplifies her commitment to enriching both his own academic perspectives and the field of computer science as a whole.
View UMW Trip 2024
Iceland, where we spent weeks exploring the stunning landscapes of this Nordic island. One of the highlights of the trip was driving around the famous ring road, a 1,332-kilometer highway that circles the entire country. Along the way, we marveled at cascading waterfalls, rugged coastlines, and towering glaciers. We had the chance to immerse yourself in Icelandic culture, sampling traditional cuisine and learning about the country's history and geology. This unforgettable journey through Iceland's dramatic beauty left a lasting impression all of us.
View UMW Trip 2023
After leading a study abroad trip to Brazil and Argentina, where the students explored the wonders of the Amazon Rainforest, embarked on a captivating river cruise along the Amazon, and marveled at the breathtaking Iguazu Falls from both sides of the border, Professor Polack decided to create a photo book. With meticulous attention to detail, he curated a collection of photographs capturing the vibrant landscapes, fascinating wildlife, and joyous moments of the trip. I aimed to provide a visual narrative that would forever remind the students of their remarkable journey.

The Art of Video

For this assignment we were expected to watch three videos demonstrating various cinematic techniques. The first video I watched showed a bunch of clips from the movie “The Shining”. All of these clips showed zooming in and zooming out. I had seen “The Shining” before, but had never really noticed how often this technique was used. This technique definitely aided in building suspense in the audience. When I was just watching these clips, I was starting to get stressed, and that’s not even the whole movie!

The next video I watched was from a variety of Tarantino films. This video displayed the technique of filming from below, so the characters are looking down at the camera. This is a very engaging technique because it somewhat “places” you in the movie. You feel like you are in the place of whatever the characters are looking at.

The last video I watched was “Examples of Editing Techniques”. This showed a ton of different camera techniques ranging from jump cut to form cut. It was great to learn all of these different techniques, and I am excited to use them in this week’s assignment!