Five computer scientists will join the faculty of the (SEAS) this fall, as part of a plan funded by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to increase by 50 percent the size of Harvard鈥檚 computer-science faculty.
The new faculty members are Boaz Barak and Madhu Sudan, both Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science; Scott Kuindersma, assistant professor of engineering and computer science; James Mickens, associate professor of computer science; and Alexander 鈥淪asha鈥� Rush, assistant professor of computer science.
Adding Barak and Sudan to the faculty builds on a long tradition of excellence in theoretical computer science at Harvard.
鈥淎 defining characteristic of our computer science program is that it is outward-facing,鈥� said , who became the John A. Paulson Dean of SEAS last month. 鈥淥ur faculty collaborate with colleagues across 草榴社区鈥� from law, medicine, government, and business to the social sciences and humanities. I am confident that these superb additions to our computer-science faculty will complement our interdisciplinary approach and make important contributions to the field.鈥�
鈥淐omputer science at 草榴社区today is small, but excellent,鈥� Ballmer said when he his game-changing gift last year. 鈥淚t already punches above its weight. With depth in systems, data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, it is focused on high-impact specialties that are literally changing the world.鈥�
The rapidly growing SEAS is the newest of the University鈥檚 12 Schools, having transitioned in 2007 from a division to its current status. It was renamed the 草榴社区Paulson School in June in recognition of a $400 million endowment gift, the largest in Harvard鈥檚 history, from John A. Paulson, M.B.A. 鈥�80.
The number of undergraduate computer-science concentrators has increased by a factor of four since 2007, and the percentage of female students has also grown. Meanwhile, more 草榴社区students pursuing other disciplines are enrolling in CS courses.
In the coming years, computer science and other parts of SEAS will expand into new, state-of-the-art facilities on Harvard鈥檚 campus in Allston.
For more on these and other SEAS appointments, visit .