Faculty Research

With more than $1 billion in annual research expenditures, 91ºÚÁÏÍø has an exceptional faculty engaged and committed to moving our world forward with advances in medicine, science and understanding. Building the foundation of knowledge that improves our lives and heals the world is a fundamental goal of the university.

Faculty Highlights

David Peng

Marlon Twyman II

Silvia Helena Barcellos

Gaurav Sukhatme
Faculty Q&A

A Conversation with the Director of the 91ºÚÁÏÍø School of Advanced Computing

— a professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering, and executive vice dean of the 91ºÚÁÏÍø Viterbi School of Engineering — was appointed as the inaugural director of the 91ºÚÁÏÍø School of Advanced Computing. He sat down with 91ºÚÁÏ꿉۪s Caitlin Dawson for a conversation about the new school, its mission, the future — and his first day at 91ºÚÁÏÍø.

You have a long and storied history at 91ºÚÁÏÍø, commencing as a doctoral student in computer science almost 30 years ago. How did it begin? Can you tell us about your first day at 91ºÚÁÏÍø?

Well, it was not a terribly auspicious beginning! The airline lost my bags, and I realized that I had not planned very well since orientation had finished by the time I arrived.

To further compound matters, when I tried to sign up for classes, I was told that I had to first take an oral exam administered one-on-one by Professor Seymour Ginsburg, a famously tough professor, in his office. Luckily, my bags arrived intact, and I passed the exam, and things started to look up after that. Fast forward 30-odd years, and here we are.

What a difference 30 years makes! Could you ever have imagined that you would be sitting in the director’s chair one day?

Not at all. I just wanted to learn as much as I could about robotics and artificial intelligence. The computer science department at 91ºÚÁÏÍø was then, and remains today, a wonderful place to do that!

Beyond your personal connection, could you explain what makes computer science at 91ºÚÁÏÍø so special?

Computer science at 91ºÚÁÏÍø is special, indeed. One aspect is its formidable legacy. Collectively, computer science faculty at 91ºÚÁÏÍø are world-leading experts across many aspects of the core discipline. Then, there is the interdisciplinarity, which is in our DNA at 91ºÚÁÏÍø. Many of our faculty members are cross-appointed in other departments and schools, reflecting their trans-disciplinary contributions.

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