Boise State’s School of Computing is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative space that aligns computing-related efforts university-wide, providing computing knowledge and skills for students from any academic discipline.
It positions Boise State as a national leader in computing education and research, all while supplying Idaho with a computing-savvy workforce that spans health care, education, engineering, the sciences and business.
Foundational Pillars
Three pillars will span across departments and colleges that collaborate with the School of Computing. They are designed to break down the silos and barriers to collaboration. Through this unique structure, the School of Computing will become a powerful vehicle to support new computing-centric opportunities for faculty collaboration, cross-disciplinary degree programs and industry outreach.
Computing in the Disciplines
Pillar Associate Director, Professor Jodi Mead, Mathematics
Partnering internal and external to the University to apply Computing to discipline specific problems.
Jodi Mead’s Research Areas: Inverse Problems, Data Assimilation, Computational Algorithms, Geoscience
jmead@boisestate.edu
Fundamental Computing
Pillar Associate Director, Associate Professor Edoardo Serra, Computer Science
Collaborating on the fundamental knowledge and research around Computation, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
Edoardo Serra’s Research Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, AI/ML application Cyber and National Security
edoardoserra@boisestate.edu
Computing and Society
Pillar Associate Director, Professor Dazhi Yang, Educational Technology
Focusing on the educational and societal aspects of computing, connecting the legal, sociological and ethical considerations to students, faculty and industry.
Dazhi Yang’s Research Areas: STEM education, AI in learning, computational thinking, sustainability in engineering design.
dazhiyang@boisestate.edu
Leadership and Partnership
The School of Computing represents a bold step forward for the university. Boise State is uniquely positioned in the Intermountain West to supercharge computing across the university by uniting efforts to drive innovation, collaboration and excellence impacting Idaho and the region.
“As the state’s largest computer science program, Boise State has strong, longstanding partnerships with industry leaders in computing and microelectronics,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Buckwalter. “The launch of the School of Computing will allow us to deepen industry relationships and foster the innovative, interdisciplinary approaches our faculty are known for in their research. The school positions us to offer new opportunities for students, researchers and industry partners for years to come.”
These initiatives align directly with Boise State’s strategic plan, supporting goals which enhance educational access, foster student and faculty success and drive research activity.
“The launch of the School of Computing comes at an opportune time in the Boise State history of computer science and computing,” said Dean of the College of Engineering JoAnn S. Lighty. “Given the nature of technological advancement, computing is needed in every discipline and the school, with its three pillars, will enable Boise State to meet the educational and research needs of the future.”
Lighty credited Tim Andersen, Department of Computer Science; Jodi Mead, Department of Mathematics; and Rich Stuppy, formerly of Kount; as the catalysts who brought the idea for the school together, provided the framework and advocated for approval from the Idaho State Board of Education.
Tim Andersen said of designing the framework for the School of Computing: “Beyond the roles typically associated with computing, such as programmers, software developers and web developers, Idaho companies need a wide range of computing-savvy talent. This includes professionals in sales, marketing, customer support, artistic and design fields and even executive leadership. Our goal in creating the School of Computing was to collaborate across academic disciplines and organizations to provide educational opportunities that equip every Boise State student—regardless of their major—with essential computing skills. This ensures we can help produce the diverse talent Idaho companies need to stay competitive, thrive and grow.”