UMass Lowell launches school of computer science with alum’s support

LOWELL — UMass Lowell announced on Thursday it will launch a new faculty of laptop science that will be named following alumnus Loaded Miner, the co-founder of Android, a corporation obtained and launched by Google.

The UMass board of trustees permitted the Richard A. Miner Faculty of Computer & Info Sciences at UMass Lowell by way of a $5 million donation from Miner, alongside with a $2 million matching contribution from the point out.

“We are profoundly indebted to Loaded,” UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney stated in a press launch. “His most up-to-date reward demonstrates his ongoing generous donation of his time, know-how and means to support pupils by entrepreneurial competitions like UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker and get ready them to grow to be leaders in their occupations.”

The launch states that computer system science is the major academic application at UMass Lowell and one particular that has consistently grown above the very last several many years.

The university’s undergraduate enrollment in personal computer science applications elevated by extra than 50% from drop 2016 to drop 2021. In 2022, 12% of learners in the applicant pool stated computer science as their intended main.

UMass Lowell study expenses in laptop or computer science have grown with each other with enrollment, leaping from $2.7 million in 2016 to $4.4 million in 2021. College are authorities on various topics like synthetic intelligence, visualization, robotics, purely natural language processing, facts analytics, laptop or computer safety and privateness and wellness informatics.

Miner gained his bachelor’s degree (1986), master’s diploma (1989) and doctorate (1997) in computer system science from UMass Lowell. He co-launched Android, the world’s most popular working technique with far more than 3 billion buyers.

After advertising Android to Google in 2005 and launching the very first couple releases, Miner co-launched GV, Google’s 1st venture fund. GV has led investments in a selection of startups over the past decade. In his role with GV, Miner backed some of Massachusetts’ best startups, including Recorded Long term, Toast, Hubspot and Tamr.

For the duration of his time as an undergraduate, Miner wrote computer system plans for the Commodore 64, a first-generation gaming program. In his graduate several years, his operate with the university’s Centre for Solution Enhancement led to breakthroughs in imagery, video digitization and videoconferencing. Miner also aided incubate Avid Technological innovation, the world’s initial personal computer movie enhancing system. He later on went on to co-identified Wildfire Communications, the very first voice-dependent particular assistant, patenting quite a few of the concepts now typical in today’s voice assistants.

Miner credits his schooling as important to his success. He said he thinks his donation will assist pc science pupils see how limitless their future is as they adhere to their enthusiasm.

“UMass Lowell ready me academically and entrepreneurially for a career the place I was able to add to so a lot of impactful improvements,” Miner explained in the launch. “I am honored to be equipped to give again in techniques that may possibly persuade many others to fulfill or exceed their goals.”

The Richard A. Miner University of Computer system & Information and facts Sciences will be housed within the university’s Kennedy University of Sciences. In accordance to the launch, it will give bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral applications mixing used and theoretical analyze of computation.

The program of review also incorporates solutions for minors in robotics, cybersecurity, facts science and bio-cheminformatics. In partnership with the university’s Division of Graduate, On the net and Qualified Scientific studies, the faculty also offers certificates in cybersecurity, techniques models and management and telecommunication.

“The new Richard A. Miner Faculty of Laptop or computer & Information and facts Sciences is made to present educational and investigate options to a varied body of students and school,” Kennedy College of Sciences Dean Noureddine Melikechi stated in the launch. “Together, they will make substantial discoveries and innovations that tackle quite a few of the difficulties that our entire world faces. In an more and more interconnected earth, the university will enlighten our potential and minimize our uncertainties.”

UMass Lowell is planning a fall devotion ceremony to honor Miner and the new faculty.