Tennessee Technological University will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Computer Science Department this week, marking four decades since its establishment in 1983. Initially part of the Mathematics Department, the program has evolved significantly alongside the burgeoning field of computer science.
Department Chair Gerald Gannod noted that when the program began, computer science was still emerging as a distinct academic discipline. “Now of course it’s a very big industry that impacts pretty much every discipline here on campus, everything that we do in our lives,” he said. Gannod described the early days as a time when computer science was seen more as an academic curiosity than the economic powerhouse it is today.
Reflecting on the department’s origins, Gannod emphasized the absence of many key technologies that are now critical to the field, including the internet, modern software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing. He mentioned that, while the impact of the discipline was on the rise, the scale of its growth would likely astonish someone from 1986. “I think there would be surprise on the scale of our growth, especially the scale of our growth over the past 10 years,” he remarked. “We’ve more than doubled the number of undergraduates and increased the number of graduate students by more than fivefold.”
This year marked another milestone, with Tennessee Tech graduating its highest number of Computer Science students to date, estimating between 180 and 190 undergraduates. Gannod noted that career paths for today’s graduates differ vastly from those of their predecessors, who might have expected to work solely for major tech companies like IBM. Current graduates now find opportunities across a range of industries including healthcare, finance, education, and entertainment.
The impact of the program’s alumni is also significant, with many holding influential roles in computing and cybersecurity, contributing to research and product development, and enhancing healthcare services. “They’ve impacted the research that we do, they’ve impacted the products that we build, and they’ve impacted how healthcare is done,” Gannod said.
Looking ahead, Gannod anticipates continued change driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy, and quantum computing, which have the potential to redefine the role of computer science at Tennessee Tech.
The anniversary celebration will take place on November 6 at the Putnam County Convention Center, featuring alumnus Mark Rigney as the keynote speaker. The event will also include a fireside chat with alumni from various decades and the inaugural presentation of the Mark Boshart and Martha Kosa Scholarship to deserving students.
