Heidi Ellis

Dr. Heidi Ellis is a Professor of Computer Science & Information Technology at Western New England University, with a research focus on software engineering education, open source software, and tools for biological data analysis. She is a founding member of the Humanitarian Free and Open Source Software (HFOSS) project, which leverages open source initiatives to address social challenges.

• Education: B.S. in Animal Science, M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Connecticut
• Courses Taught: CS 490 Software Engineering, CS 492 CS Capstone, CS 210 Software Design, CS/IT 102 Introduction to Programming, LA 100 Freshman Seminar

Her research explores how humanitarian applications of open source software can enhance student engagement and motivation, particularly among women. She has led five NSF-funded projects to support student participation in HFOSS initiatives. Dr. Ellis has published extensively on team project experiences in HFOSS, syllabus design, and the educational impact of open source practices.

Notable scholarly works include studies on multi-institutional HFOSS communities, gender equity in computing, and the integration of open source experiences into classroom settings. Her work has been presented at major conferences such as SIGCSE and ITiCSE, highlighting the intersection of technology, education, and social good.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF grants (PI/Co-PI on five projects supporting student involvement in HFOSS)

Dr. Ellis advocates for student-driven learning and has developed frameworks for collaborative open source development in academic settings. She maintains active partnerships with educators to expand the reach of HFOSS projects globally.