News
Tennessee Tech takes top spot among computer science programs in the state
From left: Tennessee Tech computer science students Markow Moussa, Emily Mutter, Brendan
Sullivan, Kelsey Rainey, Tommy Marascia and Ben Coates show their senior capstone
project at the College of Engineering’s Senior Design Expo, held just before spring
commencement.
Tennessee Tech University is now the top producer of computer science graduates among
all public universities in the state of Tennessee, according to enrollment data compiled
by Tech’s Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness.
Figures for the 2022 – 2023 academic year, the last full year of data available, show
that Tech graduated 129 computer science students, ahead of its closest competitor
at 113. The program, which is housed within Tech’s College of Engineering, is poised
to build on its record in the year ahead.
“We’ve been on this path of growth now for several years,” said Gerald C. Gannod,
professor and chair of the computer science department at Tech. “In some respects,
it’s an industry-wide trend. The growth of computer science programs across the country
has been rising due to market demand, but we also work hard to recruit and retain
students. They see that Tech is centered on student success and that employers are
coming to us to hire our graduates.”
Another factor Gannod attributes to the department’s success: its emphasis on belonging
and community.
“You can go to any computer science program in this state and they’re probably going
to offer similar courses,” added Gannod. “Where I think we really stand apart is our
strong culture and sense of community. This is a difficult degree program, so we want
students to know that they will have faculty and peers to come alongside them and
support them in this journey.”
One way the department accomplishes that is through its house system. Once admitted
into the department, students are sorted into six “houses” named after famous computer
scientists. The groups, each comprising a mix of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors,
graduate students and faculty, function as learning communities where students can
find academic advising, peer mentoring, social activities and connection.
The computer science department also serves as the home for Tech’s nationally renowned
Cybersecurity, Education, Research and Outreach Center (CEROC), launched in 2015 by
Tech Professor Emeritus Ambareen Siraj, and served as the launchpad for the university’s
new multi-disciplinary Machine Intelligence and Data Science (MInDS) Center, which
is focused on education and workforce development in emerging A.I. technologies.
In the near future, Tech is set to further enhance its computer science offerings
through the launch of its supercomputer facility in nearby Crossville.
“Each of these centers grew out of the department and grew from the vision of computer
science faculty,” explained Gannod. “We leverage all of these assets to give students
the best possible experience here on campus.”
For Gannod, the continued strength of Tech’s computer science program is of both professional
and personal importance: his three sons are proud students in the program. The oldest
is set to graduate from the university with his master’s degree this year.
“I believe in this program so much that I encouraged them, ‘If you’re going to study
computer science, come to Tech,’” he concluded.
Computer science was Tech’s top undergraduate degree program by enrollment in the
2023-2024 academic year with 722 undergraduate students. Concentrations include data
science and artificial intelligence; information assurance and cybersecurity; and
high-performance computing. For more information, visit www.tntech.edu/engineering/csc.
