Michigan Tech has long been the best-kept secret in higher education, but not anymore. This is a spectacular university, and we mustn’t shy away from making sure that everyone understands that. Over the past few years, all of us at MTU have significantly increased our storytelling efforts, with a focus on growing the University’s national presence like never before.
As the newest academic unit on campus, this is doubly true for the College of Computing. Since I arrived 18 months ago, we have created several new outlets to connect with friends and colleagues and highlight our successes. Among the most notable of these efforts was the Computing[MTU] Showcase in April 2022, which brought together colleagues, alumni, and students from across Michigan Tech to highlight our growing focus on computing and computing-adjacent disciplines.
The Showcase included a panel discussion about the College of Computing, the first inductions to our Honor Academy, keynote speakers, a Women in IT panel, workshops, seminars, and much more. The Showcase will be an annual event, and I encourage everyone reading this to join us in our next celebration of computing in October 2023.
Speaking of Computing[MTU], we have also introduced a new visual identity for the College. Computing[MTU] is now an official sub-brand at Michigan Tech, which allows us to specifically market the College of Computing. There is obviously some nerd-humor associated with it—square brackets in a language like C define subscription, meaning MTU is the index within the larger “computing” space.
But more than that, the brackets have become a unique visual identifier for the College used widely in our materials and events. In fact, we have a seven-foot pair of brackets that we physically transport to College events.
Our social media presence is growing quickly and we have increased the creation of content to tell our stories, including a trio of in-depth articles discussing the past, present, and future of computing at Michigan Tech. And this fall we refreshed the interior of Rekhi Hall, including colorful new wall art to better connect with our current and prospective students.
This magazine is a continuation of all these visibility efforts. Gateway is not meant to be an exhaustive annual report. Rather, it’s a magazine with compelling stories from the College of Computing at Michigan Tech. In this inaugural issue, you’ll learn more about our cutting-edge academic programs, the excellence of our faculty, our recent research successes, and our work to increase diversity within the computing space.
Thanks for reading,
Dennis R. Livesay, PhD
Dave House Dean of Computing
P.S. Please join us on our journey! As you'll read in this magazine, the common denominator in the success of all our academic and outreach activities is our engaged and generous community of alumni, friends, organizations, and industry leaders. Find out how you can support computing education and outreach at Michigan Tech.
Dan Fuhrmann Named Applied Computing Chair
Daniel Fuhrmann, Dave House Professor of Computing, was appointed permanent chair of the Department of Applied Computing in June 2021, having served as interim chair of the department since 2019. Prior to joining the College of Computing, he was chair of Michigan Tech’s electrical and computer engineering department from 2008 to 2019.
“Dan was instrumental in the creation of the College, and I know that his leadership will help the department achieve its promise,” says Dean Dennis Livesay. “Computing is transforming every discipline and it’s hard to imagine any unit on campus reflecting that more than applied computing.”
“I view the job of department chair as essentially one of service,” Fuhrmann says. “Basically, I want to be useful, and by extension I want the Department of Applied Computing to be useful to Michigan Tech and all of our stakeholders in the Great Lakes region. Anything I can do to improve the lives of our students and promote our regional economic development makes me happy.”
Furhmann sees the growth of the department as his first priority, noting that the unit is making good progress, particularly in cybersecurity and mechatronics.
“To grow student enrollment, we also need to grow the faculty to expand our programs,” Fuhrmann adds. “A larger department can offer more learning opportunities for students, a wider variety of courses, and more resources for faculty research and instruction.”
A second priority for Fuhrmann is helping applied computing academic programs evolve to reflect the reality of what is happening in industry today. “I want very much for our students and our graduates to have the cross-disciplinary skill sets that will be in demand,” he says.
The Department of Applied Computing brings together faculty and programs in the College of Computing with a common interest in applied aspects of computing.
Ye Duan Is New Chair, Computer Science
Andy Duan loves his work. Each day, he is excited to begin another day.
“As a professor, I feel I can make a difference. Over the years, I can see the impact I’ve made on my students. Sometimes just one simple word or sentence can impact lives,” he says.
Duan is the new Department of Computer Science chair and professor. He joins the College of Computing from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Missouri at Columbia, where he was a faculty member and director of the Computer Graphics and Image Understanding Lab. Duan replaces Linda Ott, now emerita chair of the computer science department; Ott remains in the department as a professor.
“I am extremely excited to have Andy join our team,” says Dennis Livesay, Dave House Dean of Computing. “The Department of Computer Science is doing really well right now, with significant growth in enrollment, faculty, and externally funded research. I’m confident that the future will be even brighter under Andy’s leadership.”
“The College of Computing inspired me,” Duan says. “As one of only a few academic colleges in the nation dedicated to computing, it’s a unique opportunity.”
Duan holds a PhD in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His research follows two tracks: computer vision, machine learning, and biomedical imaging; and computer graphics, virtual reality, and augmented reality. He is the principal investigator of research projects with active awards exceeding $1 million, and over $16 million in total external funding.
Duan’s leadership philosophy is based on a consensus-building approach. He says, “I believe that the faculty and chair need to work together to develop successful curricula, attract top-quality students and faculty, generate external research funding, and work with alumni to develop new opportunities for our students.”
“As department chair, I will work to build a strong team focused on a sustainable and strong program and pursue efforts to enhance the standing of the department among our peers,” Duan says.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
