Andrew McKenzie

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Andrew McKenzie’s research lies at the intersection of computer science education and robotics, with a focus on improving student engagement and performance in programming. His most cited work, “Affecting attitudes in first-year computer science using syntax-free robotics programming” (2011, 20 citations), addresses a critical challenge: the persistence of first-year CS students. By introducing syntax-free robotics programming, McKenzie demonstrated that reducing technical barriers can positively shift students’ self-perception and confidence, directly combating attrition. This contribution is notable for its practical, student-centered approach to broadening participation in computing. In earlier work, “Using real-time awareness to manage performance of Java clients on mobile robots” (2009, 2 citations), McKenzie proposed an extension to mobile robot development environments that allows developers to explicitly declare thread frequency requirements. This innovation forces more efficient use of robot resources, ensuring modules run only as fast as needed—a key insight for real-time systems. While less cited, this work showcases his technical depth in robotics and real-time performance management. Together, McKenzie’s research bridges educational innovation and systems engineering, offering valuable tools for both novice programmers and robotics developers. His work continues to inspire efforts to make computer science more accessible and efficient.