About

The Department of Computer Science has been an incubator for innovative teaching and leading-edge research for more than 50 years. Guided by our core values, we pursue our mission and vision in the spirit of Virginia Tech's motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).

See our Fall 2024 Factsheet for a one-page summary of the department.

86 faculty members, including 67 tenured or tenure-track faculty, and 26 NSF CAREER Award winners
Faculty expected to grow to more than 100 over the next several years
Research strengths in a broad set of strategic areas, including:
- Computational biology and bioinformatics
- Data analytics, machine learning, NLP, and vision
- Digital education
- High-performance computing and computational science
- Human-computer interaction
- Quantum computing
- Security
- Software engineering
- Systems
- Theory and algorithms
$16.7M in research expenditures in 22/23
Department-affiliated research centers include: Center for Human-Computer Interaction, Sanghani Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, STACK@VT, the Center for Synergistic Environments for Experimental Computing, and the Center for Community Empowering Pandemic Prediction and Prevention from Atoms to Societies (COMPASS).
Extensive involvement with major university research institutes and initiatives, including Commonwealth Cyber Initiative; Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; Fralin Life Sciences Institute; Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology; Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science; Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment; National Security Institute; and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

The college is led by Julia Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering.
Extensive collaborations across departments in the College of Engineering and with numerous departments in other colleges.

Research, teaching, and administration operations housed in 89,000 square feet across campus, primarily in three buildings: Torgersen Hall, Data and Decision Sciences, and Gilbert Place.
Scenic, walkable campus with arts and cultural experiences and nearby outdoor recreation opportunities.

Computer science graduate degrees offered for more than 40 years, with a facility in Arlington and at the newly-opened Building One in Alexandria.

Leadership group includes four associate department heads and multiple area directors and coordinators;
six-person IT staff supports extensive computing resources;
five-person fiscal staff includes support for proposal preparation and management;
on-site human resources support;
and dedicated managers lead efforts in communications, corporate partnerships, and alumni relations.