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

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

The UMass board of trustees permitted the Richard A. Miner Faculty of Computer system & Details Sciences at UMass Lowell via a $5 million donation from Miner, along with a $2 million matching contribution from the point out.

“We are profoundly indebted to Wealthy,” UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney mentioned in a press release. “His most up-to-date gift demonstrates his ongoing generous donation of his time, abilities and sources to aid learners by way of entrepreneurial competitions like UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker and put together them to grow to be leaders in their occupations.”

The release states that computer system science is the greatest educational application at UMass Lowell and a person that has continuously grown above the final a number of years.

The university’s undergraduate enrollment in laptop science systems greater by much more than 50% from tumble 2016 to slide 2021. In 2022, 12% of college students in the applicant pool mentioned personal computer science as their intended major.

UMass Lowell research expenditures in computer system science have grown with each other with enrollment, jumping from $2.7 million in 2016 to $4.4 million in 2021. School are authorities on a number of topics such as synthetic intelligence, visualization, robotics, purely natural language processing, data analytics, pc security and privateness and health informatics.

Miner gained his bachelor’s degree (1986), master’s diploma (1989) and doctorate (1997) in personal computer science from UMass Lowell. He co-launched Android, the world’s most well-known operating method with extra than 3 billion people.

Immediately after offering Android to Google in 2005 and launching the initial several releases, Miner co-started GV, Google’s to start with undertaking fund. GV has led investments in a selection of startups more than the previous ten years. In his function with GV, Miner backed some of Massachusetts’ top startups, including Recorded Future, Toast, Hubspot and Tamr.

During his time as an undergraduate, Miner wrote laptop plans for the Commodore 64, a very first-generation gaming method. In his graduate yrs, his get the job done with the university’s Centre for Product Enhancement led to breakthroughs in imagery, video digitization and videoconferencing. Miner also helped incubate Avid Technological know-how, the world’s to start with laptop or computer video clip modifying platform. He later went on to co-discovered Wildfire Communications, the initial voice-dependent individual assistant, patenting many of the principles now typical in today’s voice assistants.

Miner credits his education as vital to his achievement. He explained he believes his donation will aid personal computer science college students see how endless their long term is as they comply with their enthusiasm.

“UMass Lowell ready me academically and entrepreneurially for a occupation wherever I was capable to lead to so several impactful innovations,” Miner reported in the launch. “I am honored to be capable to give back in ways that may persuade other folks to fulfill or exceed their dreams.”

The Richard A. Miner College of Computer system & Info Sciences will be housed within just the university’s Kennedy Higher education of Sciences. According to the release, it will provide bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral plans blending applied and theoretical study of computation.

The class of research also includes selections for minors in robotics, cybersecurity, knowledge science and bio-cheminformatics. In partnership with the university’s Division of Graduate, Online and Skilled Experiments, the school also presents certificates in cybersecurity, systems types and management and telecommunication.

“The new Richard A. Miner Faculty of Pc & Info Sciences is built to offer educational and exploration possibilities to a various entire body of college students and school,” Kennedy University of Sciences Dean Noureddine Melikechi said in the release. “Together, they will make important discoveries and innovations that address a lot of of the difficulties that our globe faces. In an more and more interconnected earth, the faculty will enlighten our long run and lower our uncertainties.”

UMass Lowell is organizing a fall devotion ceremony to honor Miner and the new college.