Applying Computer Science to a Career in the Arts

Thanks to general science, Colin Brooks ’13, web developer at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, could study computer science while embracing his creative side. 

Brooks recommends the general science major to anyone interested in the convergence of humanities, social sciences, and STEM. “It is interdisciplinary, and someone looking for that in the sciences could be well served by it.”

As a student at Grinnell, Brooks was drawn to a range of sciences, as well as political science and art. Unsure which of his interests to focus on, he eventually declared computer science on a whim. But his third year, “it hit me pretty hard that I just wasn’t interested in taking any more math.” 

Brooks was considering designing his own major that incorporated a broader range of classes, but then he stumbled upon the general science major. “The fact that it just about perfectly matched the path I had already taken and would allow me to structure my last year at Grinnell the way I wanted really settled it,” he says. 

Switching to general science “in many ways opened up my final year to be my best one,” he says, giving him the freedom to design a Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) on generative art, take more art classes, and help run the darkroom and work at Faulconer Gallery. 

The individually advised curriculum Brooks created for himself helped him become more flexible and nimble, preparing him well for his next steps.

After Grinnell, Brooks entered a master’s program in art at Columbia University. While he was there, he realized he loved working with education and outreach programs at museums. He got a job in digital media at the Whitney Museum at the end of his program and has worked there ever since.