April 14, 2022
Dear Colleagues,
Today, I am delighted to announce that after a rigorous national search Dr. Bruce Childers has been named the new dean of the School of Computing and Information (SCI), effective May 1, 2022.
Bruce has served as interim dean of the school since 2020 and in that time, he has done outstanding work to advance the scope and goals of SCI, Pitt's newest school. Bruce's demonstrated ability to lead people, collaborate with different disciplines, and develop a collective vision is evident. As well, his strategic view and strong advocacy for students and faculty make him the ideal choice for the position. Bruce possesses a values-based transformational vision—one that will ensure strategy execution through collaboration, purpose, respect, humility, creativity, empathy, transparency, and integrity.
Bruce’s leadership contributions at the University of Pittsburgh through the years are as impressive as they are substantial. As Interim Dean, he has brought together academic disciplines and histories in growing and nourishing the new School of Computing and Information into a community of dynamic culture, identity, and ambition. He has set the foundation of people, practice, and approach—ushering SCI toward a bold future of transdisciplinarity for information-rich and data-driven discovery, innovation, inquiry, and critique.
He has also served as Special Assistant to the Provost for Data Science to examine opportunities and develop goals and actions regarding data science.
Prior to those assignments, Bruce served as Senior Associate Dean / Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives. In that role, he shaped growth for SCI’s mission through faculty recruitment, development, and mentoring, undertaking the creation of foundational policies and procedures. As well, Bruce has served as Department Chair of Information Culture and Data Stewardship, fostering the reinvigoration of the department and the redesign of the signature MLIS involving students, faculty, and alumni.
He has won recognition for his administrative and teaching leadership, including from the ACC Academic Leaders Network and numerous Department of Computer Science awards.
Bruce is also an outstanding scholar and researcher—and a frequent presenter at conferences around the world. His research work includes such as the recently funded project, Open Center for Curation of Computer Architecture Modeling funded by the Department of Defense.
Bruce holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Virginia and a BS in Computer Science from the College of William and Mary.
I deeply appreciate the thorough work of the search committee—chaired by Vice Provost Stephen Wisniewski. The search was truly comprehensive, and I am grateful for everyone’s dedication in this effort.
Please join me in congratulating Bruce on this appointment.
Best,
Ann E. Cudd
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor