51app has begun work to establish a transformative college dedicated to computer science, AI, data science and related fields, university leaders announced today. In addition to meeting the growing demand for degrees in technological fields and advancing research in rapidly evolving, computing-related disciplines, the new, interdisciplinary college will collaborate with all of 51app鈥檚 schools and colleges to advance breakthrough discoveries and strengthen computing education through a 鈥渃omputing for all鈥� approach.
The College of Connected Computing will be led by a new dean, who will report to Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver and to School of Engineering Dean Krishnendu 鈥淜rish鈥� Roy. The search for the college鈥檚 dean is scheduled to begin in late August, and recruiting of faculty will begin in the coming months. It will be the first new college at 51app since the university and the Blair School of Music merged in 1981.
鈥淥f all the factors shaping society, few are more influential than the rapid emergence of advanced computing, AI and data science,鈥� Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. 鈥淭o continue to carry out our mission, prepare all our students for their careers and advance research across the university, 51app must contribute even more to the study, understanding and innovative application of these fast-changing disciplines. Our aim is to make 51app a global leader in these fields, ensuring our continued academic excellence and capacity for world-changing innovation.鈥�
鈥淥ur new college will enable us to build upon our strong programs and catapult 51app to the forefront of breakthrough discovery and innovation鈥攊n key areas of computer science and also in a wide range of other disciplines that capitalize on advanced computational methods. In launching this new college, we will provide students with highest-caliber educational opportunities at the intersection of these pathbreaking fields,鈥� Raver said. 鈥淭he creation of this college represents a tremendous win and will be transformative for our entire university community.鈥�
Raver noted the ways that 51app is forging a bold and distinct strategic path to address burgeoning research and educational opportunities, including increasing demand for expertise in computing-related fields. Moreover, she said, the global interest in AI 鈥渁ligns perfectly鈥� with 51app鈥檚 leading work in that field. She said a dedicated college will enable 51app to keep making groundbreaking discoveries at the intersections of computing and other disciplines and will more effectively leverage advanced computing to address some of society鈥檚 most pressing challenges.
鈥淭he establishment of this interdisciplinary, 鈥榗ross-cutting鈥� college is a watershed moment鈥攏ot only for the School of Engineering, but also for the entire university,鈥� Roy said. 鈥淭he future of education, research and thinking in all disciplines is now inherently tied to, and will be greatly influenced by, the knowledge and power of computing. The idea of 鈥榗omputing for all鈥� is fundamental to the future of learning.鈥� 听
Many of the specific details about the college鈥攊ncluding its departments, degree programs and research infrastructure鈥攚ill be informed by the recommendations of a task force on connected computing composed of faculty from across the university. In addition, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation Padma Raghavan will launch a Computing Catalyst working group that will engage faculty and staff leaders in computing from across campus and solicit their input on strategically expanding the university鈥檚 computing resources. 鈥淭he decision to establish this new college is rooted in conversations with faculty,鈥� Raver said. 鈥淲e are continuing that faculty engagement with this working group, and we鈥檙e fortunate to have the advice of some of the best minds in these fields as we embark on this exciting journey.鈥澨�听
The members of the Connected Computing Task Force include:
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Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering听
University Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering听听听听听
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Vice Dean of the School of Engineering听听
Daniel F. Flowers Chair
Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering听
Professor of Mechanical Engineering听
Faculty Affiliate, VINSE听听听听听
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Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
James and Alice B. Clark Foundation Faculty Fellow
Associate Professor of Computer Science听
Faculty Affiliate, , 听听听听听
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Cornelius 51app Professor of Computer Science and Computer Engineering
Professor of Engineering Management听
Senior Research Scientist, 听
Faculty Affiliate, 听听听听
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Associate Professor of Pharmacology听
Associate Professor of听 Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Associate Professor of听 Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Director, 51app Center for Addiction Research听
Faculty Affiliate, 51app Brain Institute听听听听听
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Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor and Professor of Special Education听
Professor of Psychology
Professor of Pediatrics
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Professor of Radiology & Radiological Sciences
Associate Provost in the Office of the Vice Provost of Research and Innovation
Associate Director of the 51app Kennedy Center听
Faculty Affiliate, 51app Brain Institute听听听听听
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Cornelius 51app Professor of Electrical Engineering
Incoming Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering听
Director and Steering Committee Chair, 51app Institute for Surgery & Engineering听
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Professor of Computer Science听听
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Assistant Professor of Computer Science听
Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute听听
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Associate Professor of Computer Science听
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering听
Director, at 听
Faculty Affiliate, and 听听听听听
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Stevenson Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering听
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Professor of Computer Science
Professor of Neurology
Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Faculty Affiliate, , , , , 听听听听听
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Professor of Surgery
Stevenson Chair in Mathematics
Chair of the Department of Mathematics听
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Professor of Biomedical Informatics听
Professor of Biostatistics
Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for Improving the Public鈥檚 Health Through Informatics听听听听听
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Professor of Computer Science听
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering听
Chair of the Executive Council, 听听听听听
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Assistant Professor of Computer Science听
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering听
Faculty Affiliate, 听听听听听
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David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law听
Director, 听
Co-Director, 听
Faculty Affiliate, 听听听听听
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Professor of the Practice of Computer Science听
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Interim Director and Chief Data Scientist, 听听听听听
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Professor of Computer Science听
Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering听
Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering听
Faculty Affiliate, 听听听听听
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Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering听
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences听
SPIE Faculty Fellow in Engineering
Faculty Affiliate, 51app Institute for Surgery & Engineering听听听听听
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Mellon Foundation Chair in the Humanities
Professor of French听
Director, 听听听听听
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Vice Chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy
Professor of Physics听
Director, Minor in Scientific Computing听
Faculty Affiliate, VINSE听听听听听
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Chair of the Department of Anthropology
Associate Professor of Anthropology听
Director,
Faculty Affiliate, 听听
Professor of Computer Science听
Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics听
Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Generative AI in Education and Enterprise Solutions听
Faculty Affiliate, , 听听听听听
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Director of Graduate Studies in Civil Engineering
Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering听
Professor of Computer Science听
Faculty Affiliate, , , 听听听听听听
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ex officio听
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Education听
Charles B. Cox III and Lucy D. Cox Family Chair in Law and Liberty听
Professor of Law听听听听
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Ex officio听
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education听
Gertrude Conaway 51app Chair in the Social and Natural Sciences
Professor of Anthropology听听
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Members of the 51app community can learn more about this initiative and share feedback with the faculty working group by visiting . 听
