As I begin my first semester as department head, I want to first say “thank you” to the many alumni, students, and friends of the department who have sent words of encouragement and support. I am honored to take up the task, and I am very grateful to be leading a department that is in such good shape, due in no small part to the leadership of Barbara Ryder over the last seven years.
There are many reasons why I am enthusiastic about the situation CS@VT finds itself in today, and our prospects for the future. The paragraph below is borrowed from a vision statement I wrote when contemplating becoming head. It summarizes some of the reasons I am so optimistic about our opportunities.
“Locally, we should work to be a spire of excellence and a catalyst for growth in the college and university. Computer science is still a relatively young discipline, and CS@VT’s membership in the College of Engineering is just over a decade old. During that time we have progressed from being a new arrival to a familiar neighbor. Now we are poised to become one of the leading departments in the college, and indeed, in the entire university. Our department’s size, alumni base, and culture are important advantages that can be leveraged locally as well. But by far the most powerful strength we have with respect to the college and university is the centrality of computer science to so much of what is happening in education, society, commerce, innovation, science, entertainment, health care¾the list goes on and on. The incredible opportunity to identify problems and create impactful solutions in so many application areas makes this an exciting time to be in computer science!”
I am confident that many of you share this enthusiasm as well—both for the centrality and impact of our field, and for the role that CS@VT can play in educating future leaders in our field. We will try our best to let you know what is happening with us as we pursue this vision. We look forward to hearing from you as well!
