The School of Computing recently selected an inaugural director for the program, who is set to begin the new position on Mar. 1.
College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Cameron Wright and Provost Kevin Carman gathered to select Gabrielle Allen, President Seidel’s partner and previous special assistant in the Office of Research and Economic Development, as the Director of the School of Computing.
“This is quite an unusual situation,” Provost Kevin Carman said. “With a new School of Computing, the director position is in anticipation of a full independent school with a dean that would be established in four to five years.”
“When that happens, we will have a full national search for a dean. Doctor Allen would of course be eligible for that position as well,” Carman said.
Carman elaborated on the selection process for the new director.
“We received at least seven applications for the director position, but there was no faculty, as a traditional search might have, there was no faculty involved,” Carman said. “We made the decision, Dean Wright and I, after we reviewed the applications.”
“It was abundantly clear that Dr. Allen was by far the most qualified applicant. Nobody came anywhere close to her experience,” Carman said.
Allen, who has extensive backgrounds in mathematics, statistics, physics, and astronomy, also helped various institutions secure research funding from several foundations, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), and federal agencies.
“The director is the founding leader of this unit. We had originally talked about starting with hiring a dean and associate deans and going all-in but we decided it was better to slow this down a bit,” Carman said.
“We’re starting with a director and allowing the director to take a leadership role in hiring faculty and staff to begin to build up the school,” Carman said.
“You know, if she’s qualified for the position, then I really don’t see any problem with it,” Sophomore Savannah Norman said.
Freshman Amber Markus gave her thoughts on the matter.
“It seems like she has all of the qualifications necessary to be director,” Markus said. “I don’t see any conflict of interest there at all, especially since President Seidel wasn’t involved with the selection.”
Allen, as the Director of the School of Computing, will be responsible for ensuring the School of Computing is up and running, following the projected five-year plan to obtain faculty members for the school.
“The School of Computing is fundamentally about students,” Allen said in a university press release.
“Across every discipline and every major, employers are looking for students who know how to use computers and data and how to apply that knowledge in novel and interesting ways.”
The new school also aims to improve the universities competitiveness for grants and funding for research and boost educational opportunities for students.
