Dr. Damien Ennis, a faculty member at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), has long been captivated by the potential of computer science. His interest in technology began early, writing his first program at age 11. Ennis is confident that the next generation will embrace the processing power that is integral to both personal and professional life.
Ennis initially explored various academic fields before settling on an undergraduate degree in mathematics. He later transitioned to computer science, starting his career designing video slot games in Reno. After earning a master’s degree, he spent a decade coding business software but eventually sought new challenges. Friends encouraged him to join TMCC, where he found teaching more rewarding.
“I was excellent at putting complex things into simple terms,” said Ennis. “I heard they were looking for a CS instructor at TMCC and decided that might be the way.”
Ennis emphasizes interactive teaching methods, engaging students through questions like “Why would you want to do this?” and “What programming techniques might apply here?” He believes these strategies help students build a toolkit of skills.
“A skill I motivate students to gain is examining a system in place and having a new understanding of those broken-down pieces,” Ennis explained.
Ennis sees computer science as offering diverse career paths, including roles in cybersecurity and video game design. Last semester, he assigned a project involving text-based adventures, which revealed hidden talents among his students.
Despite being introverted, Ennis finds teaching different from public speaking due to his expertise. He has published research on learning differences between introverts and extroverts and has written about machine learning applications.
Cross-disciplinary connections are vital in computer science education, according to Ennis. TMCC’s program aligns with the University of Nevada, Reno’s curriculum to facilitate student transfers.
“At TMCC, people try to be creative and improve themselves,” said Ennis.
Ennis also discussed artificial intelligence (AI) as an educational tool rather than an obstacle: “It can write code…but you need to understand what you’re doing to guide it effectively.”
He shared an anecdote about asking AI to generate music tabs: “There was a huge disconnect between what it generated and what it said it had produced—yet it presented the misinformation with complete confidence.”
For those interested in pursuing computer science careers with growth opportunities, TMCC’s Computer Science and Technology Program offers resources for prospective students.
