History
Computer science plays a major role in maintaining WPI's 140-year-old tradition of academic excellence. The department has a rich history.
The department moved into the newly constructed Fuller Laboratories in January 1990. Facilities include attractive office spaces for faculty, graduate students and staff, instructional laboratories, research labs, and modern meeting rooms.
The significant improvement in research space has expanded our horizons for research activity, and will permit further growth in our Ph.D. program, which was established in 1983. The educational labs have already provided increased space to house workstations for students. They will permit us to continue to improve the computer laboratory experience for all CS courses.
In 1968 WPI appointed its first professor of Computer Science. In September 1969 the graduate program in Computer Science began. Graduate students were admitted first, closely followed by undergraduates. The department's 25th anniversary in September 1995 celebrated those events.
The department's facilities have changed dramatically over the years, from initially having no computer of its own, to its current situation of owning and operating over 100 computers. Most of these are linked via a campus-wide network, and all offices have access to more than one machine.
From the original FORTRAN, we've moved to a wide variety of software that's available to students and faculty. We now use several different operating systems to create a diversified environment. All popular languages are supported, including Java, LISP, Prolog, C, C++, Scheme, and Perl. There are many word processing/desk-top publishing utilities. The department operates several high-quality printers connected to our machines to produce graphical technical documents -- not very much folded Line Printer paper to be seen on campus any more!
The emphasis in the department over the last 30 years has gradually changed from teaching alone to a vibrant blend of teaching and research. This is consistent with the increase in the number of graduate students, and the fact that the department now offers the Ph.D. degree. The faculty's research has been supported from a variety of sources, including NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Air Force, IBM, and Microsoft.
In early 1990 the department moved to its new home in Fuller Labs. This building is specially designed to house the department and all other information processing activities. This move marked the beginning of a period of increased excellence in Computer Science education and scholarship at WPI.
An extended, pictorial version of the history presented above and below can be found in these powerpoint slides (February 2007).
Departmental Milestones
| Oct 1967 | Worcester Area College Computation Center (WACCC) began operation located in the new George C. Gordon Library. The center is now in Fuller Labs. It served all the local colleges, using an IBM 360/40. |
| Sep 1968 | Dr. Norman Sondak, the first WPI Professor of Computer Science, and Director of WACCC, joined the faculty. |
| Jun 1969 | An RCA Spectra 70/46 computer replaces the IBM 360/40 at WACCC. Its time sharing capability supports up to 50 users. |
| Jul 1969 | Prof. Ray Scott transfers from Mathematics department to become a CS faculty member. |
| Sep 1969 | The graduate program (MS) in Computer Science started. Twenty three students enrolled. |
| Sep 1970 | The undergraduate program (BS) in Computer Science started. |
| Jul 1971 | Dr. Stephen Alpert starts as faculty member. |
| Jul 1972 | Prof. Mary Hardell starts as faculty member. |
| Sep 1978 | Dr. Stephen Alpert appointed as Acting Dept. Head. |
| Sep 1980 | Computer Science department moves to Atwater Kent labs from Washburn labs. |
| Sep 1981 | Dr. T.C. Ting appointed as Department Head. |
| Sep 1982 | Department receives large equipment grant from DEC, that includes three VAX 750s. |
| Sep 1983 | Ph.D. program established. |
| Jul 1986 | The CS program receives academic accreditation from the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board. |
| Sep 1986 | Dr. Robert Kinicki appointed as Acting Dept. Head. |
| Jun 1987 | The department's first Ph.D. is awarded. |
| Sep 1987 | Dr. Karen Lemone appointed as Acting Dept. Head. |
Jul 1988 | Construction starts on Fuller Labs, home of CS, CCC, IMC and Academic Computing. |
| Aug 1988 | Department buys Encore Multimax as main computer. |
| Sep 1988 | Dr. Robert Kinicki appointed Department Head. |
| Feb 1990 | Fuller Labs completed. |
| Sep 1990 | Prof. Ray Scott dies. |
| Apr 1992 | Prof. Mary Hardell is named Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Academic Advisor. |
| Aug 1993 | A new graduate program in Computer and Communications Networks starts. |
| Sep 1995 | Department celebrates 25th Anniversary. |
| Oct 1995 | A CS Minor is added. |
| Jul 1996 | Prof. Mary Hardell retires. |
| Apr 1997 | Dr. David Brown is awarded the 1997 WPI Trustees' Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship |
| Aug 1996 | The rapid rise in CS majors (approx.doubled in 5 years) allows us to hire four new faculty. |
| Apr 1998 | Department houses three CAREER/PYI award holders: Profs. Cruz, Heineman and Rundensteiner. |
| Apr 1998 | Dr. Michael Gennert is awarded the Tau Beta Pi Award for the Outstanding Academic Advisor. |
| Jun 1998 | Dr. Robert Kinicki steps down after 10 years as Department Head. |
| Jul 1998 | Dr. Micha Hofri appointed as Department Head |
| Aug 2001 | Dr. David Brown appointed Editor in Chief of AI EDAM journal. |
| Dec 2001 | Dr. Kathryn Fisler wins an NSF CAREER award. |
| Jun 2003 | Dr. Micha Hofri steps down as Department Head. |
| Jul 2003 | Dr. Michael Gennert appointed as Department Head. |
| Jul 2003 | Dr. Robert Kinicki appointed as WPI's Secretary of the Faculty. |
| Apr 2004 | Dr. Kathryn Fisler awarded WPI's Romeo Moruzzi Young Faculty award. |
| Jul 2004 | Dr. Lee Becker dies. |
Last modified: February 27, 2007 17:41:43