ESP Biography



RUSSELL COHEN, MIT Junior studying Music and Computer Science




Major: 6

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2013

Picture of Russell Cohen

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I was born in New Brunswick NJ, a long time ago. When I was 7, I moved to the small town of Lincoln, a suburb 15 miles outside of Boston. In second, grade I decided, (without much reason), that I would play cello, and have been playing ever since. I enjoy math, music, computer science, building things, fixing things, breaking things, and coding things. I have been composing music for since about 7th grade, and programming since about the same time. I enjoy teaching, especially since it helps to solidify concepts in my own head. When I'm not doing any of the above, I rock climb, play Ultimate Frisbee, work as a Ski Patroller at Mount Snow VT, or as an EMT on MIT-EMS. I also occasionally go to class and do PSets.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

C7053: Smashing the Stack for Fun and Profit [Buffer Overflow Attacks Explained] in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Ever wonder about what a buffer overflow attack actually is? Did you know you could hack a website with nothing but a precision crafted (and really long) URL? In this class, we'll explore /exactly/ how buffer overflow attacks work and what we can do to prevent them. We'll do lots of demos, and if we have time, delve into other exploits, such as SQL and XSS injection.


C6480: Smashing the Stack for Fun and Profit [Buffer Overflow Attacks Explained] in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Ever wonder about what a buffer overflow attack actually is? How can we hack into a website with nothing more than a really long url? In this class, we'll explore /exactly/ how buffer overflow attacks work and what we can do to prevent them. We'll do lots of demos, and if we have time, delve into other exploits, such as SQL and XSS injection.


C5847: From Wire to Web: Digital Computer Networks Explained in Spark! 2012 (Mar. 10, 2012)
Ever wonder how the internet works? This course starts with voltages on a wire and works up to figuring out how your data finds its way across the globe. This is a 2 hour crash course on how computers talk to each other over the magical thing we call the internet. We'll start with electrical impulses through a wire, through the World Wide Web, and if we have time, beyond. A little bit of theory, a touch of history, a cool demo or two, some math, and a dash of hawaii.


C5374: From Wire to Web: Digital Computer Networks Explained in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
This year, 2 billion people will transfer 950 exabytes (950 billion gigabytes, or about 150 DVD's per person) of information through the internet. These bits will zip through hundreds of miles to get to their destination, in fractions of a second. And that's just the internet. We're not even talking about GPS, television, radio, phones, LAN parties, or the USB cables. Yet. This is a 2 hour crash course on how computers talk to each other. We'll start with electrical impulses through a wire, through the World Wide Web, and if we have time, beyond. A little bit of theory, a touch of history, a cool demo or two, some math, and a dash of hawaii.


H5506: BEETHOVEN in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Beethoven.


A4133: Music Theory 1: Music Fundamentals in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
What is that whole music thing? This course will go through the absolute basics -- the staff, clefs, sharps, flats and basic rhythm.


A4136: Music Theory 2: Intervals, Triads, and Modes in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
Building on the material in Music Theory 1, Music Theory 2 covers: Modal Scales, Intervals, Triads, Inversions and basic Roman Numeral analysis. We will apply our knowledge and perform theoretical analysis of both classical and Pop Music.


A4140: Ear Training 1: Intervals and Rhythms in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
The sister class to Music Theory 1 -- Ear Training 1 will get you on track to the lofty goal of being able to transcribe the music you hear by starting with the basics -- intervals, triads and rhythms.


A4308: Great Modulations in the History of Music in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
From the transparent modulations roots of the common practice period to the truck-driver modulations of modern pop music, this course will undertake an in-depth study of several amazing modulations. We will begin with an (brief) overview Roman Numerals look at the general idea of modulation. From there, we will dive in depth into some of the greatest modulations of all time.


A4330: The Physics of Music in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
A segment of the popular HSSP class, "The Music Class You've Never Taken", this class will take a whirlwind tour of the Physics behind music. Topics will include: The physics of sound formation; resonance; human hearing and sound perception, indoor acoustics, acoustic compression, and why Yo-Yo Ma's cello costs 2.5 Million Dollars.


H3346: The Music Class You've Never Taken in HSSP Spring 2010 (Apr. 17, 2010)
Have you ever wondered why that new pop song seems to be permanently stuck in your head? Why you can make a 'p' sound, but a cello can't? This class will start with a brief introduction to theory, then rapidly branch out into a number of topics seldom touched in traditional music classes. Topics will include: Why you are still humming that Taylor Swift Song: A Theoretical Analysis of Pop music; Speaking in Tongues: The Physics of Sound formation; Resonance: Human hearing and sound perception, indoor acoustics, and why Yo-Yo Ma's cello costs 2.5 Million Dollars; Music of the extreme: Cage, Reich, Ligeti et al, The Coolest Scale You've (probably) never heard of: Alternative Scales and Tuning Systems, and more... More topics may be added based on the interest of students in the class.