Welcome Message from the Chair
Welcome, students, staff, and faculty, to the start of a new academic year. A particular welcome to Drs. Alexandra Kitson (HCI) and Shengyao Lu (AI), the newest faculty members joining the department.
We are now one quarter of the way through the 21st century, and it has been an eventful time, in large part because of the efforts and innovations of people like you. It is exciting to see both new and familiar faces gathering here to learn, innovate, and tackle some of the most compelling challenges of our time. The field of computer science is at an inflection point. The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have fundamentally changed our discipline. AI is more than another tool; it's transforming and reshaping fields as diverse as software development, scientific research, and creative industries. The challenges and opportunities are immense, and they require us to think critically about how we teach, learn, and apply our skills.
For our students, these changes require a critical conversation about AI’s place in the classroom. AI tools can be powerful learning aids, but they can also be misused. The temptation to use an AI to write your code or complete your assignments for you, without the effort of developing the underlying skills, is a shortcut to a dead end. Your time here is an investment in yourself. If the only skill you develop is how to copy and paste prompts into a chatbot, you will not develop the resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills that employers value. You will also likely fail your exams. Your instructors will provide you with guidance on how and when it is appropriate to use AI. If you are unsure about a particular use of AI, please ask them. The most important thing you should learn in your time here is not how to use a tool to generate an answer, but how to think critically and solve problems that impact the world around you.
As a department, we are embracing this new AI reality. We continue to integrate AI into our curriculum, not as a crutch, but as a subject of study and a tool for innovation. This fall we’re soft–launching new approaches to AI in several of our courses; we’re also preparing a comprehensive curriculum revision slated for launch in Fall 2026. This will ensure that our programs remain at the forefront of the discipline and that our students graduate with the skills they need to leverage AI in their careers and in society.
In closing, I want to express my gratitude. To our students, thank you for bringing your curiosity, hard work, and unique perspectives to our labs and to our classrooms. To our staff and faculty, thank you for your dedication and passion which make this department an outstanding place to work and learn.
Together, we are building a vibrant, supportive, and intellectually stimulating community. I wish you all a productive and successful academic year.
Kevin StanleyChair, Department of Computer Science