Educator Spotlight: Andrew Bryant

18 April, 2023

Andrew Bryant is a Generative (coding) artists and professional programmer for EBSCO Information Services who volunteers his time to several CodeVA events and projects. His self-taught turned professional CS story is inspiring. His creative, generative (coding) art is fascinating and futuristic. We’re grateful that he prioritizes giving back to his community and helps promote CS education both personally and professionally. Check out some of his artwork on Instagram:

“The greatest benefits of programming computers come not from the products made or the renumeration received, but who you become as a result of programming.

Programming is about problem solving. You learn the process of problem solving and how to keep your emotions in check when doing so. You have to account for failures and rare scenarios so that the program works when they happen. You have to take into account the effects of scale so that the program works when lots of people use the programs you write. This helps you become a more rigorous and creative thinker.

Through programming you learn how to focus and come to understand its importance. You learn that you need to focus singlehandedly on that task ahead of you to get the best results. You have to prioritize it, as your work depends on it. Every aspect of our lives is affected by computers.

We spend a lot of our time working and playing using computers as a tool. Knowing how to program one gives you a glimpse of how the sausage is made. You get a behind-the-scenes look at how the devices that power our lives work. Programming one gives you the confidence you can create tools with them, adding your ideas to the evolution of software and building its future.

Not everybody needs to be a professional programmer, but I think most people would benefit from including programming in their education. It’s just like you benefit from knowing how to cook even if you’re not a chef, or knowing how to write even if you’re not a professional writer. Its benefits can make people better colleagues, friends, and citizens. What’s not to like?” ~ Andrew Paul Bryant, 2022 Edited by Kristin Hott, CodeVA