Welcome
Welcome from Weisong Shi, Department Chair for Computer & Information Sciences.
Welcome to the Department of Computer and Information Sciences!
Welcome to the new academic year of 2024-2025! I am excited to welcome our new students, who are joining us for the first time, and our returning students, who continue contributing to our vibrant community. Whether you are just beginning your journey with us or returning to further your academic pursuits, we are thrilled to have you as part of the CIS family. As we embark on this exciting journey together, I am thrilled to share some remarkable achievements and updates that highlight the strength and vibrancy of our department.
First and foremost, our department continues to rise in prestige and recognition. The US News and World Report has ranked our graduate program seven spots higher this year, placing us at 70th nationally. Additionally, according to CSRankings.org, we have climbed an impressive 16 places since 2022, now proudly standing at 63rd. These rankings reflect the hard work and dedication of our entire community.
We are fortunate to be home to a team of world-class faculty leading the way in cutting-edge research areas. From AI/ML to Health/Bioinformatics, Computer Vision/Robotics/Autonomous Systems, Computer Networks, Systems and Security, as well as Computing Foundations such as High-Performance Computing, Software Engineering, and Computer Science Education, our faculty are at the forefront of innovation. Notably, 52% of our tenure-track faculty are NSF CAREER Awardees, a testament to their expertise and commitment to excellence. This year, we have also achieved a historic milestone with $12 million in external funding, marking a 140% increase over last year.
Our department is experiencing significant growth, reflecting the popularity and impact of our programs. We now have 645 undergraduate and 240 graduate students, including 103 Master’s students (a 47% increase over last year) and 137 Ph.D. students (a 25% increase over last year). This expansion not only enriches our academic community but also fosters greater opportunities for networking and collaboration.
As we begin this new academic year, I encourage each of you to take full advantage of the opportunities available within our department. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and push the boundaries of what is possible in the field of Computer and Information Sciences.
Welcome again to the 24-25 academic year. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the coming year!
Sincerely,
Weisong Shi
Alumni Distinguished Professor and Chair
Department of Computer and Information Sciences
University of Delaware
Why a Career in CIS?
From its inception just a half century ago, computing has become the defining technology of our age. Computers are integral to modern culture and are the primary engine behind much of the world’s economic growth. Moreover, the field continues to evolve at an astonishing pace, making computer science increasingly important with each passing day.
With a background in computer and information science, you can help the world. For example you can help to:
- Improve human health
- Advance computer technology
- Coordinate disaster responses
- Impact national security
- Advance weather forecasting
- Improve communications
Our Department Mission
Mission Statement
The mission is to provide a culturally diverse and intellectually stimulating environment for
- Educating future leaders in academia, industry, government, and entrepreneurial pursuits through rigorous programs covering the theory and application of computer science. Developing in our students the ability to solve problems and to contribute through teamwork.
- Creating new knowledge and innovative technologies through research in the core areas of computer science and in collaborations with other disciplines.
- Exploiting the opportunities and solving the problems created by computing and networking technology.
- Serving the communities to which we belong, locally, nationally, and internationally, with a deep commitment to ethics in the practice of our profession.
Staff Mission
We have committed ourselves to be highly productive and provide superior operating results to all Faculty and Students we serve as customers. We commit ourselves to working together as a team by being clear about tasks, structure, and accountability.
We value mutual respect and diversity, promote a welcoming atmosphere, instill ethical behavior and engage in activities that improve the performance of everyone we serve.
- We will sensitively and effectively assist students who have different life experiences, class and cultural backgrounds, identities, orientations, abilities and values and make appropriate referrals to specialized campus resources to ensure optimal integration into university culture.
- We will work together as a team and with campus-wide academic and administrative units with the aim of facilitating student success and reasonable individual accommodation within campus standards.
- A top priority is to meet the increasing demands of a rapidly changing environment and provide services in a proactive, responsive, cost effective and service-oriented manner that parallels with and supports the University’s strategic plan.
- We will continually strive to improve customer satisfaction, all while establishing a high level of accountability by delivering quality services that satisfy customer requirements.
We will foster a learning environment where employees are encouraged to develop their skills to meet the demand of the future, while still promoting teamwork, learning, high performance and mutual respect for differences.