Message from the Dean of the College of Computing and Information

Email Page Link
Printer Friendly

CCI: Leading Scholars and Promising Students

The College of Computing and Information is a unique community of leading educators and researchers and talented students, positioned at the forefront of the information society.

CCI firmly believes in the motto, “Empowering People Through Information,” and so its mission is to support world-class, discipline-based research and educational programs related to computing and information. With its partnerships in the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors, the College provides expertise and collaboration efforts that benefit New York State and the nation.

CCI students are immersed in a research-based learning community that provides them with relevant skills and perspectives that fully prepare them for a variety of careers. Whether they go on to be captains of the software industry, information policy makers in Washington, or school library media specialists in local school districts, they are at the forefront of social change, and ready to make major contributions to today’s Information Age.

Visit Us to See the Future

A personal visit will show you the state-of-the-art facilities, the dedicated faculty and the exciting possibilities at UAlbany. Please contact the College of Computing and Information if you'd like to visit.

History of Innovation and Leadership

When the College of Computing and Information (CCI) was established in 2005, it marked the latest chapter in a century-long tradition of being at the cutting edge of the Information Revolution. UAlbany founded its Library School in 1926, established the Department of Computer Science in 1974;, and initiated one of the country’s first interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in Information Science in 1990. In 2005, the University merged these three units to establish a critical nexus for education and research that enables students and society to harness the power of information technology.

Goals to Meet the Challenge of the Information Age

Employees in the 21st Century economy must be fluent with information and be able to create, analyze, communicate, and integrate information in their lives. CCI offers students the computing and information skills they need to succeed in this Information Economy. Through their research, College faculty address Information Age challenges as diverse as finding better ways to outwit cyber criminals to using information technology more effectively to help students learn.

The College is unique in the degree to which computing and information programs are integrated into academic disciplines, and also by its focus on real-life problems. CCI’s overarching concentration is on the development of effective information systems, and underlying its teaching and research are a number of common themes; human cognition, system design, organizational and social factors, and specific technologies, which include databases, networking and programming.

The College designs, coordinates and manages programs that address the needs of both students and today’s workplace.

Future plans include the formation of an external advisory board, governance structures, communications enhancements, expanded internships and consulting opportunities, and commercial alliances. Opportunities to imaginatively design and provide additional courses, programs, and centers to support or collaborate with scholarly and research activities across the University will be enhanced by the College’s growing reputation and visibility.

CCI will enable the departments of Computer Science, Informatics, and Information Studies to not only maintain current programs, but to forge new alliances as well, and to grow in new directions.

Locations

The rapidly growing CCI spans three campuses. The College's main offices and the Department of Informatics are located in Building 7A of the Harriman Technology Campus, effectively integrating CCI with a vibrant high-tech center of the Capital Region. This serves to reinforce CCI's links with key partners, including the New York State Office of Homeland Security.

The Department of Computer Science is located on the University's Uptown Campus, and the Department of Information Studies is housed on the Downtown Campus in Albany. Plans are to eventually consolidate all CCI offices at one site as part of an academic and research anchor for the region.

Dean Peter A. Bloniarz

Peter A. Bloniarz, Ph.D., a veteran of more than 30 years at UAlbany, was appointed Dean of the College of Computing and Information in 2005. He previously served as Dean of the School of Information Science and Policy, as well as Associate Provost for Informatics. A Ph.D. graduate in electrical engineering and computer science from M.I.T., Dr. Bloniarz began at UAlbany as a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science. He ultimately served as Interim Vice President for Research, Interim Director for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Research Director for the Center for Technology in Government, and the Director of the Information Science Ph.D. program. A recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, his primary research areas are information science and education.