computer science phd usc

Associate Professor Kelly Sanders to Advise the White House on Clean Energy Policy

Former isi executive director herb schorr: a career celebration, from drug-detection to eco-entrepreneurship: introducing kandis leslie gilliard-abdulaziz, the future of health research and innovation at grodins symposium, teaching robots to walk on the moon, and maybe rescue one another, could computer science aid the next jimi hendrix, usc launches school of advanced computing, usc create, established in the wake of 9/11, announces its 20th anniversary symposium, the circuit: national engineering news from usc viterbi and the nae, viterbi news network: the bi-weekly usc viterbi news show, dr. allen and charlotte ginsburg human-centered computation hall, upcoming events, den@viterbi - online graduate engineering virtual information session.

Date : Thursday, April 4, 2024 Time : 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Join USC Viterbi School of Engineering for a virtual information session via WebEx, providing an introduction to DEN@Viterbi, our top-ranked online delivery system. Discover the 40+ graduate engineering and computer science programs available entirely online. Attendees wi...   [Read More]

NiSource Engineering Panel

Date : Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Time : 3:30pm to 4:30pm Location : Virtual

Details NiSource Inc. is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.3 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across six states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. The mission of o...   [Read More]

DEN@Viterbi: How to Apply Virtual Info Session

Date : Thursday, April 11, 2024 Time : 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Join USC Viterbi representatives for a step-by-step guide and tips for how to apply for formal admission into a Master's degree or Graduate Certificate program. The session is intended for individuals who wish to pursue a graduate degree program completely online via USC ...   [Read More]

ShowCAIS Symposium 2024

Date : Friday, April 19, 2024 Time : 8:45am to 4:15pm Location : MCB 101 & 102

Speaker: Bistra Dilkina, Eric Rice, and Phebe Vayanos, USC CAIS Co-Directors Talk Title: ShowCAIS Symposium 2024 Abstract: ShowCAIS is the USC Center for AI in Society's annual symposium highlighting research by USC students, faculty, and alumni. The event provides an o...   [Read More]

Viterbi Graduate Mentorship : 2024 Fall Mentor Training

Date : Tuesday, April 23, 2024 Time : 3:00pm to 4:30pm Location : Sign into EngageSC to View Location

This is for MS and Ph.D. students in Viterbi. A mandatory training event for Viterbi grad students who wish to become future mentors and for current first-time mentors. Training includes mentorship skills, points to cover with mentees during meetings, next steps, etc.   [Read More]

View Full Calendar

Engineering+

SCilicon Beach

Nae grand challenges.

Shana Douglas B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2018

"My passion is volunteering and inspiring the future generation to go into STEM fields. I'm so happy to be apart of a school that shares those values."

Keyue Shen Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering

“I think the exciting part for me, as an engineer, is that we’re making something possible that was impossible in the past to help patients.”

Arynn O. Gallegos B.S. Electrical Engineering, 2020

"Working in my research lab has provided me with mentorship that has profoundly shaped my career and professional goals and to find opportunities I couldn't even dream of before starting college."

A.C. Mike Markkula B.S. ’64; M.S. ’66 Co-founder, Apple Inc.

"There is no way a student can graduate from the engineering school at USC without learning how to think through a problem and come to a correct and proper answer. That has served me well in everything I've done."

Jose Juan Ruiz B.S. Electrical Engineering, 2019

"Coming from community college, I was worried about transferring into a major university, but once I got to USC all my doubts were put to rest. From the professors, career opportunities, organizations, events, and friends I made here, I know I made the right choice in choosing USC"

Academic Departments

Aerospace & mechanical engineering.

• Astronautical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering

The Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science

Sonny Astani Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Computer Science

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering

Three USC Schools Collaborate to Reimagine the LA River

Researchers in landscape architecture, fluid mechanics and augmented reality have created an interactive hydraulic model installed alongside the Los Angeles River.

Space Archaeology at 17,000 Miles Per Hour

The preliminary findings from the first ever archaeological study of the ISS are shared during a presentation at USC.

• Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

A Green Light to Build Muscle Cells on Command

USC Viterbi and Keck USC researchers, aided by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant, seek to control how cells grow into tissue, with game-changing applications in neuromuscular diseases and more.

AI Platform to Revolutionize the Discovery of the Materials of the Future

The $2 million NSF project will harness AI to generate new optimized superalloys for game-changing applications from aerospace to healthcare.

Mitul Luhar joins the National Academies’ New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Luhar will be part of the 2024-26 cohort of 26 outstanding early and mid-career scientists, engineers and medical professionals selected by National Academies.

• Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science

Could AI Help Us Prepare for the Next Pandemic?

Computer science doctoral student Elizabeth Ondula leverages AI to enhance pandemic response strategies

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

New Chip Design to Enable Arbitrarily High Precision with Analog Memories

Paper in Science published by team led by J. Joshua Yang of USC shows high-precision computing achieved with low-precision devices.

Could Algorithms Help Us Make Better Choices in Uncertain Times?

Johannes Royset joins USC Viterbi, bringing expertise in operations and optimization and a background in naval applications.

2022 Year in Review

Computing @ SC

• Information Technology Program

Institute for Creative Technologies

Information Sciences Institute

Published on October 11th, 2016

Last updated on April 3rd, 2024

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Best Computer Science Schools

Ranked in 2023, part of Best Science Schools

Earning a graduate degree in computer science can lead

Earning a graduate degree in computer science can lead to positions in research institutions, government agencies, technology companies and colleges and universities. These are the top computer science schools. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. Read the methodology »

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Fellowships

Applicants to Ph.D. programs in engineering are considered for assistantships and fellowships provided that they have completed the application for admission and have submitted all supporting documents no later than December 15 of the year preceding the Fall term to which they are applying.

Fellowships are awarded based on exceptional merit and may consist of one of the following:

These fellowships include an annual stipend, tuition for full-time enrollment, and some mandatory fees. This includes the Orientation fee, the student programming fee, the student services fee, and Norman H. Topping Student Aid. Lab fees or other fees associated with coursework are not covered by the fellowship. All fellowship awards will be credited directly to the student's account. Please view the links below for more information.

USC Graduate School Fellowships USC Graduate School External Fellowships

USC Awards and Fellowship Database FinAid.org Nationally Coveted College Scholarships FastWeb.com’s Graduate Scholarships Petersons’ Graduate Scholarship Search Engine Profellow External-National-Fellowships-and-Scholarships-Information 2021-2022 (Coming soon!) External Fellowship Info Session Presentation 2021-2022 (Coming Soon!)

Did you apply for Nationally Competitive Fellowship Awards? Click here.

Fulbright Programs Social Science Research Council’s Fellowships and Prizes Institute of International Education’s Fellowships Mobility International USA’s Funding International Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries International Financial Aid and Scholarship Search Boren Fellowships for International Study

Fellowship FAQ's

Fellowships are awarded to students who achieve a high level of academic excellence and allow students to focus full time on their studies. Fellowships typically include tuition, student health and dental insurance, access to the Engemann Student Health center, and a stipend distributed over the course of the academic year. Some fellowships also cover mandatory fees such as the Graduate Student Programming fee, Norman Topping Student Aid Fund fee, and the Student Services fee. Lab fees and parking expenses are not covered by fellowships.

All parameters of your fellowship are outlined in your offer letter. We recommend that you review your offer letter carefully and become familiar with the terms of your fellowship.

International fellowship students must Passport Verification (PPV) upon arrival to USC; as well as attend a Viterbi One-Stop session to complete GLACIER paperwork.

Domestic and international fellowship students must be enrolled full-time to receive their fellowship. Full-time enrollment is equivalent to six advisor-approved units or GSRC-800 or 794ABCDZ. We recommend that Ph.D. students register at least two weeks prior to the start of the fall semester, and before the winter recess for the spring semester.

For more information on important dates and deadlines, please visit Ph.D. Important Dates and Deadlines.

Please also visit our   New Student Information website.

26th falls on a weekend or holiday. In which case, the payment will be available the business day prior to the 26th. Stipends are considered late after the 26th of each month. Though you may receive your stipends via direct deposit before the 26th of the month, please note that the stipend schedule does not run through Payment Services on the same day each month, so you will not always receive your stipend on the same day each month.

USC Fellowships are paid over 12 months.

If you have an external fellowship, your fellowship stipend will be disbursed per the foundation's guidelines.

We strongly encourage all of our students to sign up for direct deposit to ensure your payment is delivered as soon as it is available. Domestic Fellowship Students can have their stipends direct deposited through the Office of Payment Services (formerly called Disbursement Control). Please review set-up instructions for more information. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, your stipends will be mailed to your local address. If you do not have a local address on file and you do not sign up for direct deposit, your stipends will be mailed to your permanent address. Please make sure your local address is up to date in OASIS. You may access OASIS directing by logging into MyUSC

International Fellowship Students will receive their stipends through USC Payroll and can Direct Deposit Instructions for International Students New fellows, please note that GLACIER must be completed and processed before you can access Workday. If you do not sign up for Direct Deposit, your stipend will be a paper check and will be routed to the VASE Office. You will be notified when it is ready for pick up.

We strongly suggest that fellows contact the IRS directly, and/or consult with a tax professional. While receiving your fellowship, domestic students will not receive a W-2 form (although when you serve as a Teaching or Research Assistant you will receive a W-2).

This link  contains information regarding tax treatment of fellowship awards. In addition, please review the IRS 1098-t form. These links are not meant to be a comprehensive list of tax resources or forms that you should consider.

International Students should review the OIS website.

In general, you will receive enough tuition units to cover full-time enrollment during the academic year. Please refer to your fellowship offer letter for specific details. These units are split evenly between the fall, spring and summer semesters. If you wish to exceed the number of units stated in your offer letter, please contact your academic department’s staff graduate advisor for advisement. Requests for additional tuition over the fellowship are reviewed on a case by case basis by the VASE Office.

Neither fellowships nor assistantships will pay for audited classes. Funding packages will only pay for classes that count towards the degree. In addition, audited courses or courses not counted towards the degree in many scenarios will not count towards your full-time student status. This may affect your eligibility for funding as well as visa status for our international students. If you are uncertain what courses will be covered by your fellowship, please email [email protected].

You may accept a summer internship or a summer RA/TA position. If you are an international student and plan to work off-campus, you must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

If it is after the 26th of the month and you still haven't received your stipend, or your stipend amount is incorrect, please email [email protected]. Please include your full name, USC ID# and amount in question. A staff member will work the appropriate department(s) to resolve the issue. As a reminder, students must be enrolled full-time (six advisor-approved units for credit towards the PhD program, or GSRC-800 or 794ABCDZ) by the recommended registration deadline in order for fellowship stipends to disburse on time.

New international fellows must submit GLACIER paperwork by the recommended deadline for processing by the University in order to be paid on time.

Continuing international students must update GLACIER paperwork if there is a change in status, such as changing from fellowship to an RA/TA.

Please work with your academic department administrator to complete your hiring paperwork. If you have remaining semesters of fellowship, please notify the VASE Office to defer your fellowship.

International students will need to update GLACIER paperwork to reflect the change in status working as a graduate assistant and receiving wages. If your fellowship also pays a top-off stipend while on RA/TA, please be sure that GLACIER indicates a fellowship stipend as well as wages, or your top-off stipend will not disburse.

Please review this printable chart   for additional information on several external fellowships held by our current PhD students. Many external fellowships receive an additonal top-off stipend from the USC Graduate School. Please contact Jennifer Gerson, Director, Doctoral Programs, at [email protected] or Tracy Charles, Doctoral Programs Coordinator, at [email protected] with any questions.

Graduate Assistantships

As a new Research Assistant, you may be required to complete a Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training before you can begin your assignment.

To ensure a successful TA experience right from the start, all new TAs must attend a training program. In addition to online resources for new TAs, we offer a one-day training program at the beginning of each semester. It is the responsibility of the TA Coordinator or Graduate Advisor to register new TAs for this program. The training will consist of a day-long session at the Viterbi School of Engineering. You must attend the entire session before you will be allowed to begin your duties in the classroom. Lunch will be provided.

Next TA Training:

Date: August

Time: 9am-12pm

Location: TBA

Published on July 11th, 2017

Last updated on August 10th, 2023

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MS in Computer Science - Data Science

Application deadlines.

Spring 2025: September 1, 2024

Fall 2024: December 15, 2023

• Program Overview
• Application Criteria
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The MS in Computer Science - Data Science provides students with a core background in Computer Science and specialized algorithmic, statistical, and systems expertise in acquiring, storing, accessing, analyzing, and visualizing large, heterogeneous and real-time data associated with diverse real-world domains including energy, the environment, health, media, medicine, and transportation.

Interested in this program but did not earn a BS in Computer Science? Visit our MSCS Eligibility Criteria page or consider our MS in Applied Data Science program.

• This program requires completion of 32 units of coursework
• Eligible for the OPT STEM extension
• USC Catalogue
• USC Schedule of Classes

Applicants are expected to have completed or be in process of completing an undergraduate degree in computer science or its equivalent. For those who do not, they should meet the eligibility criteria on our MSCS Eligibility Criteria page.

Applications are reviewed holistically; simply taking these courses does not guarantee admission.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The following materials are required to be included with your online application:

• Transcripts
• Personal Statement
• Letter of Recommendation (Optional)

NOTE:   The GRE is   not required   for 2024 applications.

For tips on completing your application visit Ready to Apply

The following link will take you to an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students, including payment information. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition

Estimated Cost of Attendance - 32 Unit Program

Download the   Cost of Attendance to see a summary of tuition and fees by semester. The document is a typical example and the number of courses, and time to complete the program, will vary by student.

    SHOUBHIK DEBNATH

Tell us a little bit about yourself I did my undergraduate studies at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Then I worked for Microsoft India for two years. That’s when I realized the need to specialize in a specific domain and wanted to explore the field of data science. So, I decided to earn a Master’s degree and chose USC’s MSCS (Data Science) program.

Tell us about your interests outside the classroom. Outside the classroom, research was my major interest. I worked in the Human Robotics Interaction Lab during the first year. Then I started working with Prof. Sukhatme to solve robotic path learning problems. I was also involved with the Graduate Mentorship program and guided new graduate students to make sure they have a smooth transition and get comfortable here. I share my experience and knowledge with the new students to help them adjust well at USC.

Tell us about some exciting and unforgettable incidents from your two years at USC? Well, during the initial phase of my journey at USC, I was focused on pursuing PhD. I was always focused on PhD and never thought about getting a job after completing my masters. But after I did my first internship, I thought of giving the job hunt a shot and interviewed for positions in my field of interest. I had PhD offers from USC and Carnegie Mellon University and job offer from Nvidia and a few other companies. I chose the job offer from Nvidia. Two years back, I was thinking only about PhD and now I am working at Nvidia, the American tech company. I believe that when there is a chance to take a risk, you should go for it.

    MOUNICA NAIDU MANYAM

Mounica Naidu Manyam, grew up in Bengaluru, and received her bachelor’s in computer science and engineering from the Ramaiah Institute of Technology. She was working for Philips healthcare division in Bengaluru as a Software Engineer when she decided to go to graduate school at Viterbi. She chose Viterbi because it was ranked in the top 20 in machine learning programs. In addition, the university’s location in California, appealed to her as she believed it might provide greater opportunities and more vocational control. It also didn’t hurt that a lot of her friends had studied at USC. Everything just came together.

Having never traveled alone before, Mounica set out with a friend to travel to USC where they both decided to attend school. At first, she was a little scared: it was the first time that Mounica set foot in Los Angeles and her first time in the U.S. She need not have worried; she found people helpful and friendly. About 15 students from her class at her undergraduate university also came to USC. In total, she imagines about 40 students from her school ended up attending USC.

On campus, Mounica studied computer science with a specialization in Data Science. Once she settled in, Mounica spent time going to Santa Monica and exploring downtown LA at night. Being a foodie, she enjoyed the famous taco trucks in L.A.

One of the projects Mounica worked on caught the attention of AI expert Yolanda Gil, who works at the USC Information Science Institute. Professor Gil recruited Mounica for a project analyzing LA’s traffic data. The project took advantage of USC’s other professional schools, the Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism, and Mounica converted vehicle traffic data from around L.A. into a usable format for emerging student journalists to analyze.  In addition, she secured a student job at the school’s Marketing and Communications department where she built out the school’s website.

Her next position this summer will be an internship at Amazon in company’s advertising division in Silicon Valley. She knows that this requires a move to a new place but also knows that she won’t be alone. There are many student interns and alumni from USC who are working for the same company and in the same location.

2022 First Destinations Survey - Outcomes*

Alumni Employment - 2022* (Companies & Job Titles)

• Amazon - Software Development Engineer   
• Fortinet - Software Development Engineer   
• G.K. Monoid - Application Software Developer   
• Google - Software Engineer   
• Intel - Software Engineer   
• Leaf Group - Data Scientist   
• Meta Platforms, Inc. - Software Engineer   
• Nuleep - Application Developer   
• Pinterest - Data Scientist & Machine Learning Engineer   
• Red Hat - Technical Consultant   
• Walmart - Data Scientist (Machine Learning Infra Engineer)   

Internships (Summer 2023)**

Amazon ; American Express ; Barclays ; Bytedance Inc. ; Nutanix, Inc.; PayPal, Inc.; PwC; Reliable Business Services ; Secure Talent, Inc. dba Eastridge Workforce Management ; Sungrow ; Volvo Group North America LLC ; Zscaler, Inc.  

* Information is based on a voluntary survey and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive view of the 2022 graduating class.

** Internship data is from CPT internships done by our international student population.

This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online. If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student. Learn More About DEN@Viterbi Detailed Program Curriculum and Requirements Schedule of Classes DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.

Published on July 10th, 2017

Last updated on February 21st, 2024

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What are you looking for?

Suggested search, physics and computer science.

This interdisciplinary program is intended for students with dual interests in physics and computer science who wish to complete the essential courses for both majors within their normal four-year career. The program will prepare students for a career in a computer related field and/or science research.

Degree listings below reflect current requirements. Since actual graduation requirements depend on the specific year which a student enters USC, students should always consult with their advisor to determine course selection.

This is a sample program only. Your actual program should be developed in consultation with your advisor.

Return to: USC Viterbi School of Engineering    

Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center 104 (213) 740-4494 FAX: (213) 740-7285 Email: [email protected]  

Chair: Cyrus Shahabi, PhD

Chan Soon-Shiong Chair: Maja Matarić, PhD (Neuroscience Center)

Andrew and Erna Viterbi Early Career Chair: Nora Ayanian, PhD

Andrew and Erna Viterbi Early Career Chair: Jernej Barbic, PhD

Philip and Cayley MacDonald Endowed Early Career Chair: Yan Liu, PhD

Gordon S. Marshall Chair in Engineering: Urbashi Mitra, PhD

Jack Munishian Early Career Chair; Zohrab A. Kaprielian Fellow in Engineering: Fei Sha, PhD

Niki and Max Nikias Chair in Engineering: Shrikanth (Shri) Narayanan, PhD

Northrup Grumman Chair in Engineering: Ramesh Govindan, PhD

Fletcher Jones Foundation Endowed Chair in Computer Science: Gaurav Sukhatme, PhD

David Packard Chair in Manufacturing Engineering: Stephen C-Y Lu, PhD (Mechanical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering)

Charles Lee Powell Chair in Engineering: Viktor Prasanna, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Charles Lee Powell Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science: Massoud Pedram, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Henry Salvatori Chair in Computer Science: Leonard M. Adleman, PhD

Fletcher Jones Professor: Ramakant Nevatia, PhD

Helen N. & Emmett H. Jones Professorship in Engineering: Cyrus Shahabi, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering and Spatial Sciences)

Seeley G. Mudd Professor of Engineering: Shanghua Teng, PhD

Distinguished Professor of Computer Science; TRW Professor of Software Engineering: Barry Boehm, PhD

WiSE Gabilan Assistant Professor:  Heather Culbertson, PhD

WiSE Gabilan Assistant Professor:  Bistra Dilkina, PhD

WiSE Gabilan Assistant Professor: Aleksandra Korolova, PhD

Professors: Leonard Adleman, PhD (Molecular Biology) ; Barry Boehm, PhD (Industrial and Systems Engineering) ; Leana Golubchik, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Ramesh Govindan, PhD; Ellis Horowitz, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Ming-Deh Huang, PhD; Laurent Itti, PhD (Neuroscience Center) ; David Kempe, PhD; Sven Koenig, PhD; Yan Liu, PhD; Maja Matarić, PhD (Neuroscience Center) ; Nenad Medvidovic, PhD; Aiichiro Nakano, PhD (Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics) ; Ulrich Neumann, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Ramakant Nevatia, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Paul Rosenbloom, PhD; Fei Sha, PhD; Cyrus Shahabi, PhD ( Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Gaurav Sukhatme, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Shanghua Teng, PhD

Associate Professors: Nora Ayanian, PhD;  Jernej Barbic, PhD; Bistra Dilkina, PhD; Shaddin Dughmi, PhD; Shahram Ghandeharizadeh, PhD; William GJ Halfond, PhD; Chao Wang, PhD

Assistant Professors: Heather Culbertson, PhD; Jyotirmony Vinay Deshmukh, PhD; Robin Jia, PhD; Aleksandra Korolova, PhD; Joseph Lim, PhD; Haipeng Luo, PhD; Muhammad Naveed, PhD; Stefanos Nikolaidis, PhD; Barath Raghavan, PhD; Mukund Rahtorhaman, PhD; Xiang Ren, PhD; Vatsal Sharan, PhD; Jesse Thomason, PhD; Jiapeng Zhang, PhD

Joint Professors: Murali Annavaram, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Salman Avestimehr, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Irving Biederman, PhD (Psychology, Neuroscience ); Todd Brun; Emilio Ferrara, PhD (Annenberg); Satyandra K Gupta, PhD (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering) ;   Rahul Jain, PhD ( Electrical and Computer Engineering ); Rajiv Kalia, PhD (Physics) ; Carl Kesselman, PhD (Industrial and Systems Engineering) ; Bhaskar Krishnamachari, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; C-C Jay Kuo, PhD (Signal and Image Processing) ; Stephen Lu, PhD (Industrial and Systems Engineering) ; Urbashi Mitra, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Shrikanth (Shri) Narayanan, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Hamid Nazerzadeh, PhD (Data Sciences and Operations) ; Andrew Nealen, PhD (Cinematic Arts) ; Pierluigi Nuzzo, PhD ( Electrical and Computer Engineering);  Viktor Prasanna, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Konstantinos Psounis, PhD; C.S. Raghavendra, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Meisam Razaviyayn (Industrial and Systems Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Benjamin Reichardt, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Remo Rohs, PhD (Computational Biology) ; Nicolas Schweighofer, PhD (Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy) ; Neil Siegel, PhD (Industrial and Systems Engineering) ; Mahdi Soltanolkotabi, PhD ( Electrical and Computer Engineering) ;   Tianshu Sun, PhD (Data Sciences and Operations) ; Francisco Valero-Cuevas, PhD  (Biomedical Engineering) ; Priya Vashishta, PhD (Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Physics) ; Phebe Vayanos, PhD  (Industrial and System Engineering) ; Richard Weinberg, PhD (Cinematic Arts) ; John Wilson, PhD (Spatial Sciences, Computer Science)

Adjunct Assistant Professor: Marco Papa, PhD

Research Professor of Computer Science with Distinction: Premkumar Natarajan, PhD

Research Professors:  Ewa Deelman, PhD; Yolanda Gil, PhD; Jonathan Gratch, PhD; John Heidemann, PhD; Randall Hill, PhD; Craig Knoblock, PhD; Kristina Lerman, PhD; William Swartout, PhD; David Traum, PhD

Research Associate Professors: Jose Luis Ambite, PhD; Aram Galstyan, PhD; Kallirroi Georgila, PhD; Andrew Gordon, PhD; Robert Lucas, PhD; Jelena Mirkovic, PhD; Pedro Szekely, PhD; Greg Ver Steeg, PhD

Research Assistant Professors:  Muhao Chen, PhD; Rafael Ferreira da Silva, PhD; Gale Lucas, PhD; Xuezhe Ma, PhD; Jonathan May, PhD; Fred Morstatter, PhD; Jay Pujara, PhD; David Pynadath, PhD; Srivatsan Ravi, PhD; Mohammad Rostami, PhD; Mohammad Soleymani, PhD; Satish Kumar Thittamaranahalli PhD; Ning Wang, PhD

Adjunct Research Professors: Paul Debevec, PhD; Christian Mattmann, PhD

Adjunct Research Associate Professor: Ethan Katz-Bassett, PhD

Adjunct Research Assistant Professors: Bradford Clark, PhD; David DeVault, PhD; Nanyun Peng, PhD

Professors of Engineering Practice: Victor Adamchik, PhD; Jeffrey Miller, PhD

Associate Professors of Engineering Practice: Clifford Neuman, PhD; Saty Raghavachary, PhD; Mark William Redekopp (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Wei-Min Shen, PhD; Wensheng Wu, PhD

Lecturers: Sandra Batista, PhD (Senior Lecturer);  Claire Bono ( Senior Lecturer) ; William Cheng, PhD ( Senior Lecturer) ; Aaron Cote, PhD ( Senior Lecturer) ; Scott Easley, BA ( Senior Lecturer) ; Andrew Goodney, PhD ( Senior Lecturer) ; Mohammad Reza Rajati (Lecturer) ; Tatyana Ryutov, PhD (Senior Lecturer ); Shawn Shamsian, PhD ( Senior Lecturer)

Emeritus Professors: Michael A. Arbib, PhD ( Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience and Psychology ); George Bekey, PhD (Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering) ;   Jerry Hobbs, PhD; Gerard Medioni, PhD (Electrical and Computer Engineering) ; Aristides A.G. Requicha, PhD ( Electrical Engineering )

Bachelor of Science

Undergraduate program educational objectives.

Graduates of the undergraduate program in Computer Science are expected to attain the following objectives within a few years of graduation:

• Graduates apply the computational and analytical approaches of computer science to their chosen professions.
• Graduates successfully engage in life-long learning to continue to be contributing members of their communities in fields within and outside the traditional scope of computer science.
• Graduates exhibit high professional and ethical standards to become productive leaders in society.

Undergraduate Program Criteria

The program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science includes at least one and one-third years of computer science that covers the fundamentals of algorithms, data structures, software design, concepts of programming languages and computer organization and software; provides an exposure to a variety of programming languages and systems, including at least one higher-level language; and includes advanced course work that builds on the fundamental course work to provide depth.

The program includes at least one year of science and mathematics, including at least one-half year of mathematics, including discrete mathematics. Additional mathematics might consist of calculus, linear algebra, numerical methods, probability, statistics, number theory, geometry, or symbolic logic. The science component develops an understanding of the scientific method and provides an opportunity to experience this mode of inquiry in courses for science or engineering majors that provide some exposure to laboratory work.

Physics/Computer Science Major Requirements for the Bachelor of Science

This program is intended for students with dual interests in physics and computer science who wish to complete the essential courses for both majors within their normal four-year career. See the Physics and Astronomy    Department section for course requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and Computer Science

See the listing under Computer Engineering Program   .

Graduate Degrees

The requirements listed below are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements    of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering for master’s degrees and the general requirements    of the USC Graduate School for PhD degrees. The graduate program in computer science provides intensive preparation in the basic concepts and techniques related to the design, programming and application of digital computers. Both the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered.

A Master of Science degree with specialization in software engineering is also offered. The program seeks to prepare students for an industrial leadership career in software engineering. It also serves as an introduction to this area for students who wish to pursue advanced studies and research leading to a PhD.

A Master of Science degree with specialization in intelligent robotics is also offered. This program seeks to prepare students for an industrial career in the development of computer systems for CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing) and robotics. It also serves as an introduction to this area for students who wish to pursue advanced studies and research leading to a PhD. The emphasis is on the domain of mechanical, electromechanical and mechatronic products. (CAD for digital systems is covered by a separate program offered by the Electrical and Computer Engineering department.)

A Master of Science degree with a specialization in computer networks is offered. This specialization prepares students in the areas of computer communications, networks and distributed processing.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Multimedia and Creative Technologies) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (High Performance Computing and Simulations) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Data Science) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Game Development) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Computer Security) is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science Dual Degree with Tsinghua University School of Information Science and Technology – China is also offered.

A Master of Science in Computer Science (Scientists and Engineers) is also offered for students with limited background in computer science.

Admission and Prerequisites

Admission is determined by the Office of Admission and the Viterbi School of Engineering, in consultation with the Computer Science Department. The applicant is required to have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university; satisfactory scores on the verbal and quantitative portions of the aptitude test of the Graduate Record Examinations (one advanced test from computer science, mathematics or engineering is recommended); and a substantial background in computing constitutes a minimum requirement. Foreign students must earn a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Bachelor’s Degree

• •  Computer Engineering and Computer Science (BS)
• •  Computer Science (BS)
• •  Computer Science Games (BS)
• •  Computer Science/Business Administration (BS)
• •  Computer Science Minor

Joint Degree

• •  Computer Science Dual Degree with Tsinghua University School of Information Science and Technology (MS)

Master’s Degree

• •  Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Computer Networks) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Computer Security) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Data Science) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Game Development) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (High Performance Computing and Simulations) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Intelligent Robotics) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Multimedia and Creative Technologies) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Scientists and Engineers) (MS)
• •  Computer Science (Software Engineering) (MS)

Graduate Certificate

• •  Software Architecture Graduate Certificate

Doctoral Degree

• •  Computer Science (PhD)

Computer Science

• •  CSCI 100xg Explorations in Computing
• •  CSCI 101L Fundamentals of Computer Programming
• •  CSCI 102L Fundamentals of Computation
• •  CSCI 103L Introduction to Programming
• •  CSCI 104L Data Structures and Object Oriented Design
• •  CSCI 109 Introduction to Computer Science
• •  CSCI 110 Introduction to Digital Logic
• •  CSCI 170 Discrete Methods in Computer Science
• •  CSCI 201L Principles of Software Development
• •  CSCI 270 Introduction to Algorithms and Theory of Computing
• •  CSCI 280 Video Game Production
• •  CSCI 281 Pipelines for Games and Interactives
• •  CSCI 310 Software Engineering
• •  CSCI 350 Introduction to Operating Systems
• •  CSCI 352L Computer Organization and Architecture
• •  CSCI 353 Introduction to Internetworking
• •  CSCI 356 Introduction to Computer Systems
• •  CSCI 360 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• •  CSCI 368 Programming Graphical User Interfaces
• •  CSCI 380 Video Game Programming
• •  CSCI 390 Special Problems
• •  CSCI 401 Capstone: Design and Construction of Large Software Systems
• •  CSCI 402 Operating Systems
• •  CSCI 404 Capstone: Creating Your High-Tech Startup
• •  CSCI 410x Translation of Programming Languages
• •  CSCI 420 Computer Graphics
• •  CSCI 423 Native Console Multiplayer Game Development
• •  CSCI 426 Game Prototyping
• •  CSCI 430 Introduction to Computer and Network Security
• •  CSCI 435 Professional C++
• •  CSCI 439 Compiler Development
• •  CSCI 445L Introduction to Robotics
• •  CSCI 450 Introduction to Computer Networks
• •  CSCI 452 Parallel and Distributed Computation
• •  CSCI 454L Introduction to System-on-Chip
• •  CSCI 455x Introduction to Programming Systems Design
• •  CSCI 457 Computer Systems Organization
• •  CSCI 458 Numerical Methods
• •  CSCI 459 Computer Systems and Applications Modeling Fundamentals
• •  CSCI 461 Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development
• •  CSCI 467 Introduction to Machine Learning
• •  CSCI 475 Theory of Computation
• •  CSCI 476 Cryptography: Secure Communication and Computation
• •  CSCI 477 Concepts of Programming Languages
• •  CSCI 485 File and Database Management
• •  CSCI 487 Programming Game Engines
• •  CSCI 490x Directed Research
• •  CSCI 491aL Final Game Project
• •  CSCI 491bL Final Game Project
• •  CSCI 495 Senior Project
• •  CSCI 499 Special Topics
• •  CSCI 501 Numerical Analysis and Computation
• •  CSCI 502a Numerical Analysis
• •  CSCI 502b Numerical Analysis
• •  CSCI 504a Numerical Solutions of Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations
• •  CSCI 504b Numerical Solutions of Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations
• •  CSCI 505a Applied Probability
• •  CSCI 505b Applied Probability
• •  CSCI 510 Software Management and Economics
• •  CSCI 511 Personal Software Process (PSP) and Project
• •  CSCI 512 Testing and Analysis of Software Systems
• •  CSCI 513 Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems
• •  CSCI 520 Computer Animation and Simulation
• •  CSCI 521 Optimization: Theory and Algorithms
• •  CSCI 522 Game Engine Development
• •  CSCI 523L Networked Games
• •  CSCI 524 Networked Artificial Intelligence
• •  CSCI 526 Advanced Mobile Devices and Game Consoles
• •  CSCI 527 Applied Machine Learning for Games
• •  CSCI 529a Advanced Game Projects
• •  CSCI 529b Advanced Game Projects
• •  CSCI 530 Security Systems
• •  CSCI 531 Applied Cryptography
• •  CSCI 532 Innovation for Defense Applications
• •  CSCI 533 Algebraic Combinatorics
• •  CSCI 534 Affective Computing
• •  CSCI 535 Multimodal Probabilistic Learning of Human Communication
• •  CSCI 536 Linear Programming and Extensions
• •  CSCI 538 Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality
• •  CSCI 540 Self-Organization
• •  CSCI 542 Neural Computation with Artificial Neural Networks
• •  CSCI 544 Applied Natural Language Processing
• •  CSCI 545 Robotics
• •  CSCI 548 Information Integration on the Web
• •  CSCI 549 Nanorobotics
• •  CSCI 550 Advanced Data Stores
• •  CSCI 551 Computer Networking
• •  CSCI 552 Asynchronous VLSI Design
• •  CSCI 553 Computational Solution of Optimization Problems
• •  CSCI 554 Cyber-Physical Systems: A Computing Perspective
• •  CSCI 555L Advanced Operating Systems
• •  CSCI 556 Introduction to Cryptography
• •  CSCI 557 Computer Systems Architecture
• •  CSCI 558L Internetworking and Distributed Systems Laboratory
• •  CSCI 559 Machine Learning I: Supervised Methods
• •  CSCI 561 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
• •  CSCI 563 Building Knowledge Graphs
• •  CSCI 564 Brain Theory and Artificial Intelligence
• •  CSCI 565 Compiler Design
• •  CSCI 566 Deep Learning and Its Applications

• Computer Science

It’s Way More than Coding

Learn more about how you can specialize your degree program with different emphases, check out the research our faculty and students are doing on and off campus, hear how you can apply your degree in industry through internships, co-ops, and more, find out what our current students are up to in clubs and student organizations, hear directly from faculty, computer science (cs), computer scientists design and implement efficient software solutions to computer-solvable problems. they are involved in the development of areas such as high-speed networks, multimedia and creative technologies, systems design, virtual reality, data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics., listen while you scroll, cs podcast playlist.

Check out all of our podcast episodes related to Computer Science & Computer Engineering. Whether it’s Dr. Sukhatme discussing CS at USC or current students discussing hackathons, cyber security, and internships in the Girls Who Code miniseries.

Viterbi Voices: The Podcast is your chance to hear stories about research, classes, student life, and more directly from our faculty, students, and other members of our engineering community. Click the link below to see the rest of our episodes!

Curriculum and Emphases

There are several different options within the computer science program to pursue.  Check them all out!

The computer science program prepares students to work in the areas of software design, development, application and maintenance.  It provides intensive study in algorithmic design and analysis as well as the theory of computing.

Computer Science (Games)

This major offers technical and creative training for the video game industry.  The curriculum brings numerous core areas of advanced computer science – including artificial intelligence, graphic interfaces, modeling, algorithm design – together with creative and artistic training from the School of Cinematic Arts and the Roski School of Fine Arts and Design.

Computer Engineering & Computer Science

(jointly administered by the computer science and electrical & computer engineering departments).

This program trains students to integrate hardware and software processes to design solutions to problems arising in complex domains such as atomic reactors, guidance systems, and manufacturing systems.  These students graduate ready to design and build complex systems of hardware, software, and networks.

Computer Science/Business Administration

This combined degree program allows students to study both Computer Science and Business in four years.  In addition to the core computer science courses, students take courses from the Marshall School of Business such as Organizational Behavior, Marketing Fundamentals, Business Finance, and Strategic Management.

The Computer Science department has more than 40 research faculty members from the world-renowned Information Sciences Institute (ISI) – a major player in the creation of the Internet- and from the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT). Its faculty includes pioneers in modern cryptography, Internet technologies, software engineering, databases, computational neuroscience, robotics, natural language processing, computational biology and network sciences, and it has an innovative education program, including the new interdisciplinary Informatics Program as well as one of the nation’s first programs in game development.

In addition, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering offers one of the best environments for interdisciplinary research and international collaboration in the nation. There is a strong record of innovation in the department and its affiliated centers: the Domain Name System and the TCP/IP protocols, the invention of DNA computing, and historic interdisciplinary studies relating brains, machines and mathematics. For example, a former student wrote one of the first computer viruses and led the theoretical study of the computer virus concept. The accomplishments of our current faculty include path-setting results in artificial intelligence, computer vision, data science, privacy and security, robotics, software engineering, and the Academy Award winning work in computer graphics.

We have a balance of programs - theoretical, computational, and experimental – which exemplify the Viterbi School’s approach to intensive and collaborative research.

Recent projects.

Faculty will be teaching all of your classes and leading research projects as well. Your opportunities to build relationships with your faculty will begin immediately in your first year, both in the classroom and the lab. Check out a few highlighted professors with whom you may work in the future:

Dr. Nora Ayanian

Her research group, the ACT lab, conducts research in the area of coordinated multi-robot systems, where they provide theoretically sound solutions to practically motivated problems. You may also recognize them from the drones performance at the 2017 Super Bowl Half-Time Show!

• Research Website

Dr. Heather Culbertson

Her research focuses on the design and control of haptic devices and rendering systems, human-robot interaction, and virtual reality. Particularly she is interested in creating haptic interactions that are natural and realistically mimic the touch sensations experienced during interactions with the physical world.

• Research Lab Website

Dr. Leonard Adleman

His research focuses on algorithms, computational complexity, cryptography, DNA computing, number theory and molecular biology. He's known famously for the RSA algorithm, which allows data to be encrypted; it is one of the bedrocks of security on the internet. He's also writing a book about memes!

Dr. Yan Liu

Her research interests include machine learning and data mining with applications to biology, climate science, health, and social media. She is currently working on deep learning for health care applications like phenotyping and healthcare prediction tasks.

• Center Website

Don't stop here.

Learn more about the cool faculty and amazing research being done at the Computer Science Department at their website:

CS Department Website CS Department Website

Your engineering undergraduate degree will prepare you for many career and academic opportunities. Whether you have always known “what you want to do when you grow up” or are hoping to find out, we are here to help you plan for your future beyond USC. We provide dedicated career services starting in your first year to help you find internships, co-ops, and full-time positions post graduation.

When you graduate with a degree in Computer Science, here are just a few of the future career paths that might lay before you.

• Build new computer circuits, microchips, and other electronic components
• Launch high tech entrepreneurial projects and ventures
• Conduct research on artificial intelligence capabilities
• Create new computer and operating systems
• Design logic devices for everyday appliances
• Improve video game consoles and devices
• Integrate hardware and software processes
• Invent intelligent robots
• Develop advanced data analytics

Don't take our word for it. Ask some Viterbi alumni:

“While completing my degree, I interned with the Walt Disney Company as a Software Engineer where I helped test user interfaces for web application. My first job after graduation was with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I worked with quality engineers to develop tools for inspection of spacecraft.” Lauren Denson B.S. Computer Engineering & Computer Science '13

“My experience at a SpaceX internship cemented my interest in rocket propulsion. I am now part of a brand new propulsion program at Virgin Galactic, where I'm working to develop VG's first liquid rocket engines.” Andrew Borba B.S. Computer Science '14

“While at USC, I interned at Microsoft, as an undergraduate Research Assistant for the Software Architecture Research Group, and served in a leadership capacity in several student orgs. I am now a Rotational Software Engineer at Intuit working with Mint.com in San Francisco.” Anita Singh B.S. Computer Science '13

Student Life

We want students who like to work hard – both in and out of the classroom. Our students know that going to college is more than attending class and completing assignments. College is about making connections and joining a community of dedicated students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Our students want to work and play with people as interesting as they are, and we have a number of ways for you to do the same.

Your life can be designed how you like it. Join a design team like Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Continue your passion for volunteering with Code the Change. Keep making art with Corpus Callosum. On this page, we have a few student organizations we think you might be interested in, but there are so many more you can get involved in!

Code the Change

This community of student technologists designs and builds software to empower philanthropic organizations to help them alleviate various problems facing our world like assisting the homeless in finding job training.

Association for Computing Machinery

ACM is USC's largest Computer Science organization, providing many events and opportunities for students to develop their professional and technical skills like learning how to code from upperclassmen or meeting industry reps.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

By employing industry standard programs and techniques, USC AUV ensures that all members have a hands-on, practical engineering experience outside of the classroom that can be utilized in their future careers.

Imagine yourself on campus.

Learn more about life at USC as an engineering student at Viterbi Voices:

Viterbi Voices Viterbi Voices

More Engineering Disciplines

You just learned so much about Computer Science, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond this department, Viterbi has ten academic disciplines spread across eight departments to make up more than thirty major combinations. Take some time to explore all of your interests.

Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering

Design for Movement.

• Astronautical Engineering

Build for Beyond.

• Biomedical Engineering

Help Others Live Better.

Chemical Engineering

Make the Stuff of Tomorrow.

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Design. Build. Improve.

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Industrial & systems engineering.

Engineer Better Businesses.

• Undeclared Engineering

It’s Okay If You’re Not Sure.

Want More Info on CS?

Fill out the form below and we’ll get right back to you.

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AME Lauches New Summer Program with the USC Center for Advanced Research Computing

Central to the university-wide Frontiers of Computing initiative, the USC Center for Advanced Research Computing supports 100 USC research groups from a variety of academic disciplines. Together with the Department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering and with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Center is launching a new two-week summer program in advanced programming and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

“This new program provides an exciting opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to learn about the latest trends in high-performance computing from the perspective of the computational scientist,” said Associate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Ivan Bermejo-Moreno . “It will equip participants with the knowledge and practical experience required to deploy and perform numerical simulation and data analysis in the new generation of supercomputers. The two-week program integrates topics including the implementation of numerical techniques in computational fluid dynamics codes, approaches to physics-aware deep learning, advanced parallel programming targeting distributed-memory clusters and accelerators such as graphics processing units (GPU), and how to ensure performance-portability across different computer architectures. The program also aims to foster a collaborative community and network that can extend into future career paths in computing.”

To learn more about the program, please email Dr. Bermejo-Moreno at [email protected]

Published on April 2nd, 2024

Last updated on April 2nd, 2024

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[UG] Paid Summer Research Internship for USC Undergrads!

The following announcement is from Professor Ragusa. Please contact them directly if you have any questions.

Paid   Summer   Research   Internship   for USC Undergrads!

Are you interested in participating in a paid   summer   research opportunity in neuroscience, biomedical or electrical engineering or in computer science in a premiere USC Research Center?

This research program application is for you!

The   USC   Center for Neuronal Longevity   ( CNL )

has openings for selected USC undergraduate Student researchers.

https://keck.usc.edu/neuronal-longevity-center/

When:   May 27 – August 2, 2024; ~20-35 hours per week

Please complete the linked application (below) and include your current resume (attached to the application).   Application Deadline is May 1 st , 2024

SUMMER   RESEARCH APPLICATION LINK:

https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bC46vJvdZtv6YiG

NOTE: Please have your resume handy when you complete the   internship   application as the application instructs you to upload it during the process.

Questions? Please contact Professor Ragusa at  [email protected] , coordinator for the   summer   program.

See Flyer for more information: CNL Paid Summer Research Internship for USC Undergrads-2024 (1)

Published on April 2nd, 2024

Last updated on April 2nd, 2024

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

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Mar 25, 2024, 11:20 AM

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 Vanderbilt’s 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 college’s 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 innovation—in 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 Vanderbilt’s 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 society’s most pressing challenges.

“The establishment of this interdisciplinary, ‘cross-cutting’ college is a watershed moment—not 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 college—including its departments, degree programs and research infrastructure—will 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’s 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 we’re 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 School 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 Biostatistics Professor of Medicine Director, Center for Improving the Public’s 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 Institute for Spatial Research (VISR) 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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Computer Science students take on Amazon coding challenge

The Computer Science Graduate Professional Development Club recently organized a successful student coding challenge at the ATLAS institute, complete with prizes and networking opportunities. 

 Co-sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers, Women at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the Association for Computing Machinery, the half-day long event featured team challenges to demonstrate how professionals use the cloud to solve problems in different industries.

Shakshi Parekh, a second-year computer science master's student at the event, said she appreciated the event's welcoming nature. "It's a good opportunity for newcomers to get to know more about AWS," she said. 

Ramya Mikkilineni, a mentor for the event from AWS, said she enjoyed being able to share with the new generation. "It's really good to show them all that they can do with this new technology and how they can be a part of building with it," she said.  

It was also an opportunity for students who attended to network, share resumes and get updates on internship and job opportunities.

Anirudh Kalghatkar, another computer science master's student, said he felt excited to learn new skills through the challenges, and make new connections through the event. 

Events that involve industry partners, busy graduate students and multiple organizers require a great deal of planning and persistence to pull off. The Computer Science Graduate Professional Development Club (CSGPDC), which is student-run, put many hours into helping the coding challenge happen. 

Sriranga Ramaswamy, a Technology, Cybersecurity and Policy Program master's student and the vice-chair of the organization, said it was fun to see the event come to life. 

"It's very rewarding, seeing so many people here participating," he said. Over 50 people attended the event. 

Amit Gupta, another mentor for the event from AWS said he appreciated seeing how students were approaching the challenges. 

"We are here to help them out with the challenge, but we also want to learn from the next generation. They are the future. We are here for them, and they are here for us." he said.

• Graduate Student Stories

Students attend the AWS coding challenge, including Shakshi Parekh (left) and Anirudh Kalghatkar (second to left) who were quoted in the article. 

Students attend the AWS coding challenge

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