Elaine Weltz
Emerita Professor of Computer Science
Email: eweltz@spu.edu
Education: BA, Seattle Pacific College, 1974; BA, Seattle Pacific College, 1975; MMus, University of Southern California, 1978; BS, Seattle Pacific University, 1984; MSE, Seattle University, 1989. At SPU 1984–2019. Emerita since 2019.
Elaine Weltz has been described as “a musician who teaches computer science,” and it is true that she is both artist and scientist. She first came to Seattle Pacific as a music student and honed her skills as pianist, accompanist, conductor, and arranger — a wide range of musical interests.
After graduate study in collaborative piano at the University of Southern California and time in the business world, however, Prof. Weltz decided to shift her career focus. Having always been fascinated by computing machines and problem solving, she decided to pursue software development as a profession while continuing to perform as a musician. While she was not specifically looking to teach computer science, when her alma mater needed a one-year visiting professor she said, “I would like to try that.”
One year has turned into
many more. As SPU’s resident software engineer, Elaine Weltz teaches courses in programming, systems design, and database management. Her research has focused on the societal impacts of computing technology, with special interest in security and privacy. But she has not left her music behind. For most of her career she served as accompanist of the SPU
Concert Choir. She also performs regularly with two local orchestras and serves in several musical capacities in her church.
Please see Elaine Weltz’s CV (PDF) for more information.
Selected Publications
- “A Staged Progression for Integrating Ethics and Social Impact Across the CS Curriculum.” Computers & Society, Vol. 28, no. 1, March 1998.
- “From Awareness to Action: Integrating Ethics and Social Responsibility Across the Computer Science Curriculum.” Third Report of the Impact CS Steering Committee, Computers & Society, Vol. 29, no. 2, May 1999.