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Vanderbilt 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 Vanderbilts schools and colleges to advance breakthrough discoveries and strengthen computing education through a computing for all 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 Krish Roy. The search for the colleges 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 Vanderbilt since the university and the Blair School of Music merged in 1981.

Of all the factors shaping society, few are more influential than the rapid emergence of advanced computing, AI and data science, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. To continue to carry out our mission, prepare all our students for their careers and advance research across the university, Vanderbilt must contribute even more to the study, understanding and innovative application of these fast-changing disciplines. Our aim is to make Vanderbilt a global leader in these fields, ensuring our continued academic excellence and capacity for world-changing innovation.

Our new college will enable us to build upon our strong programs and catapult Vanderbilt to the forefront of breakthrough discovery and innovationin 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, Raver said. The creation of this college represents a tremendous win and will be transformative for our entire university community.

Raver noted the ways that Vanderbilt 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 aligns perfectly with Vanderbilts leading work in that field. She said a dedicated college will enable Vanderbilt to keep making groundbreaking discoveries at the intersections of computing and other disciplines and will more effectively leverage advanced computing to address some of societys most pressing challenges.

The establishment of this interdisciplinary, cross-cutting college is a watershed momentnot only for the School of Engineering, but also for the entire university, Roy said. The 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 computing for all is fundamental to the future of learning.

Many of the specific details about the collegeincluding its departments, degree programs and research infrastructurewill 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 universitys computing resources. The decision to establish this new college is rooted in conversations with faculty, Raver said. We are continuing that faculty engagement with this working group, and were fortunate to have the advice of some of the best minds in these fields as we embark on this exciting journey.

The members of the Connected Computing Task Force include:

Krishnendu Roy, Chair Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering University Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Douglas Adams Vice Dean of the Schools of Engineering Daniel F. Flowers Chair Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Affiliate, VINSE

Hiba Baroud Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering James and Alice B. Clark Foundation Faculty Fellow Associate Professor of Computer Science Faculty Affiliate, VECTOR, Data Science Institute

Gautam Biswas Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Computer Science and Computer Engineering Professor of Engineering Management Senior Research Scientist, ISIS Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Erin Calipari Associate Professor of Pharmacology Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Director, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Brain Institute

Laurie Cutting Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor and Professor of Special Education 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 Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Brain Institute

Benoit Dawant Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Electrical Engineering Incoming Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Director and Steering Committee Chair, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery & Engineering Professor of Biomedical Engineering Professor of Computer Science

Abhishek Dubey Associate Professor of Computer Science Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Director, SCOPE lab at ISIS Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems and Data Science Institute

Bennett Landman Stevenson Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 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, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE), Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Institute of Image Science (VUIIS), Data Science Institute

Michael Matheny Professor of Biomedical Informatics Professor of Biostatics Professor of Medicine Director, Center for Improving the Publics Health Through Informatics

Sandeep Neema Professor of Computer Science Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair of the Executive Council, Institute for Software Integrated Systems

Ipek Oguz Assistant Professor of Computer Science Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE)

J.B. Ruhl David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law Director, Program in Law and Innovation Co-Director, Energy, Environment and Land Use Program Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Jesse Spencer-Smith Professor of the Practice of Computer Science Adjunct Professor of Psychology Interim Director and Chief Data Scientist, Data Science Institute

Jonathan Sprinkle Professor of Computer Science Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems

Yuankai Kenny Tao Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences SPIE Faculty Fellow in Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery & Engineering

Holly Tucker Mellon Foundation Chair in the Humanities Professor of French Director, Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities

Kalman Varga Vice Chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy Professor of Physics Director, Minor in Scientific Computing Faculty Affiliate, VINSE

Steven Wernke Chair of the Department of Anthropology Associate Professor of Anthropology Director, Vanderbilt Initiative for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Research Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Jules White Professor of Computer Science Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Generative AI in Education and Enterprise Solutions Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems, Data Science Institute

Dan Work Director of Graduate Studies in Civil Engineering Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Professor of Computer Science Faculty Affiliate, VECTOR, Institute for Software Integrated Systems, Data Science Institute

Tracey George ex officio Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Education Charles B. Cox III and Lucy D. Cox Family Chair in Law and Liberty Professor of Law

Tiffiny Tung Ex officio Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Social and Natural Sciences Professor of Anthropology

Members of the Vanderbilt community can learn more about this initiative and share feedback with the faculty working group by visiting vanderbilt.edu/about/computingtaskforce.

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Vanderbilt to establish a college dedicated to computing, AI and data science - Vanderbilt University News