Welcome to the Department of Computer Science!
These are exciting times to be in computer science. Over the last decade, extraordinary developments in ubiquitous personal computing, artificial intelligence, data science, and more have transformed the industry and society. In fact, computing and computational thinking has rapidly become a fundamental part of nearly all intellectual disciplines, changing them and the field of computer science as well.
Our field is broader and more diverse than ever before. Computer scientists still program computers, design and analyze algorithms, engineer complex high-performance systems, break down problems into the data structures and processes needed to solve them, create mathematical models of information processing, and design effective user interfaces. Today, though, you will also find computer scientists applying computational thinking to research in biology and ecology, to questions of political science or sociology, to innovation in manufacturing and retail, to creation of new forms of art and music, and much more.
Illinois Tech is the technology and computing university of the Midwest. The mission of the university since its founding is to prepare students from all backgrounds for meaningful work and success in an evolving industrial society. Today, that society is built on computing, and studying computer science at Illinois Tech is a wonderful path to success. The university is also tightly connected with tech and other companies in Chicago, an international center for innovation and entrepreneurship. The city is as much of a technological powerhouse as our cousin cities on the coasts, but with a friendly Midwestern spirit.
The Illinois Tech Department of Computer Science is the largest in the university, and growing, as demand in industry for computer science graduates continues to increase. Our degree programs—in the core computer science as well as artificial intelligence (the first undergrad major in the Midwest), data science, cybersecurity, and decision science—teach practical skills as an outgrowth of the deep understanding of foundational concepts. Our alumni are highly valued by their employers, as they are powerfully effective and continue to grow and learn throughout their careers.
I’m honored to serve as interim chair of this outstanding department during a time of building and expansion. The department has a strong foundation of innovative educational programs, interdisciplinary research collaborations across the university, and diverse partnerships with industry, nonprofits, and government research labs. We’re looking forward to building on these efforts as we grow and advance our collective mission to benefit society through innovation and excellence.
Shlomo Argamon
Chair, Department of Computer Science