Clarkson Open Source Institute

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The Clarkson Open Source Institute (COSI) is a project based, student run organization at Clarkson University. It was founded during the fall semester of 2001 with the support of Clarkson's Division of Math and Computer Science. COSI currently has approximately 20 members, ranging from freshmen to graduate students. The current faculty adviser is Professor Jeanna Matthews.

1 Goals
2 Accomplishments
3 What’s In Store for COSI
4 External links

[edit] Goals

COSI has two main goals:

Promotion of open source software — COSI endeavors to explore the benefits academia can gain from open source software. We are one of the biggest promoters of open source in the North Country of New York. We currently operate a public open source lab here on campus, as well as make services available campus-wide.
Sandbox for project ideas — Because of the resources we have been given by the University as well as other donations, there are many projects that can be fully realized within COSI. We make it available for students to start their own projects, ranging from software projects (collaborative software, web interfaces, mainframe operating systems) to public relations (forums, seminars, open houses).

Students are able to gain very practical experience in the pursuit of these goals, which they can then apply to their personal, corporate, and academic lives. Because of the wide range of experience available in COSI, Clarkson University has allowed us to offer COSI for credit.

[edit] Accomplishments

COSI members have been able to put their knowledge to good use within the organization:

Early in 2002, several COSI students participated in IBM’s Linux Scholar Challenge. Out of the thousands of entries world wide, twenty-five winning entries were chosen. Three of the winners came from Clarkson, and all of them were in COSI. Their great success won COSI its own mainframe: an IBM zServer.
Software COSI has written has been used to simplify grading for freshman Calculus classes.
COSI has put on an “Installing Linux” workshop for IT department heads at local high schools and community colleges close to the North Country.
COSI has helped many of its members to find summer internships and jobs at companies such as IBM and Microsoft, placing them in positions all over the country.
In 2005 COSI participated in the Tuxmasters Invitational. Out of all the entries, the top two entries were from Clarkson and all team members were part of COSI.
And more….

Successes such as these continue to motivate COSI members to even greater accomplishments in the future.

[edit] What’s In Store for COSI

COSI continues to put students in the forefront of emerging technologies. Plans for a new team are already in the works to help put Clarkson on the map in the field of Computer Science and give undergraduate students research opportunities in the field. A new generation of COSI members is emerging with their own ideas and projects to continue the legacy of excellence and innovation.