Tom Erickson, govt affiliate dean for technique and innovation and founding director of the Faculty of Pc, Information & Data Sciences on the College of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Letters & Science, has introduced he’ll step down from his management roles efficient January 2025. Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau, the Grace Wahba and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Pc Sciences, will assume management of CDIS.
Erickson, a third-generation Badger, has led CDIS since its inception in 2019, guiding the varsity by a transformative interval of progress and innovation.
Tom Erickson
“After I accepted this function, my purpose was easy: to supply the identical life-changing alternatives I had as a scholar to future generations,” says Erickson. “I’m deeply grateful for the possibility to work with inspiring college students, alumni, college, employees and trade companions, and to have demonstrated the significance of our mission to the college, the state and past.”
After stepping down, Erickson plans to shift his private focus from expertise to a different of his deep passions: human flourishing and consciousness.
Underneath Erickson’s management, CDIS achieved vital milestones, together with the completion of a $267 million marketing campaign to assemble Morgridge Corridor — the biggest privately funded venture in college historical past. He additionally expanded alternatives for college students, developed new interdisciplinary applications and secured important workforce growth funding to fulfill the evolving wants of Wisconsin’s labor market, serving to to reinforce the varsity’s nationwide status.
Among the many different highlights of his tenure:
- A surge in scholar enrollment throughout all CDIS applications, representing a rise from 3,200 to six,200 college students, demonstrating the rising demand for training in computing and information science and UW–Madison’s skill to fulfill that demand.
- Elevated entry to important programs; entry-level computing and information science lessons grew 151% to serve greater than 9,000 college students yearly, making certain that every one college students who wish to take these programs have entry to foundational data.
- Constructing a sturdy interdisciplinary basis in order that college students are outfitted with various expertise for the longer term; roughly 40% of laptop science and 80% of information science college students pursue twin majors.
- Launching modern tutorial applications, together with new majors in information science and knowledge science, alongside three graduate applications in information engineering, info science and information science — assembly the calls for of rising industries.
- Increasing entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives, together with the Artistic Destruction Lab-Wisconsin and the Know-how Entrepreneurship Workplace, which empower college students and school to show concepts into significant ventures.
“Tom’s imaginative and prescient and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the way forward for the Faculty of Pc, Information & Data Sciences,” says Eric Wilcots, dean of the School of Letters & Science. “His management has not solely enriched the coed expertise but additionally set a course for the continued success in addressing the challenges and alternatives of the digital age. We’re deeply grateful for his contributions.”
Earlier than becoming a member of UW–Madison, Erickson had a distinguished 40-year profession within the software program trade, holding govt roles at a number of main corporations. Most notably, he was the founding director and CEO of Acquia, a Boston-based software program firm, the place he grew the corporate to $175 million in income and 800 staff earlier than it was acquired in a deal valued at $1 billion. In 2018, Erickson co-chaired the college’s working group on the way forward for computing, which laid the groundwork for the formation of CDIS.
“Tom’s influence on CDIS and the broader college is immeasurable,” says Arpaci-Dusseau, who will assume the function on January 1, 2025. “It has been a privilege to work alongside him, and I’m excited to steer CDIS into the subsequent section of progress and innovation as we proceed to push the boundaries of analysis and training at UW–Madison.”
Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau
Arpaci-Dusseau is an internationally famend laptop scientist, identified for his analysis in storage and distributed techniques. He’s a long-standing chief inside the college’s computing neighborhood and has been a key determine in CDIS for the previous 5 years, together with 4 years as chair of the Division of Pc Sciences, the place he performed an instrumental function advancing the varsity’s mission.
Arpaci-Dusseau co-leads a analysis group with Professor Andrea Arpaci-Dusseau, and collectively they’ve earned quite a few prestigious awards. A lot of their improvements have been broadly adopted in business techniques.
Arpaci-Dusseau’s distinguished analysis profession has additionally garnered a number of high honors, together with the Mark Weiser Award for excellent management and innovation from the Affiliation for Computing Equipment’s Particular Curiosity Group on Working Programs, and he has been named a fellow of each the Affiliation for Computing Equipment and the American Affiliation for the Development of Science.
“Remzi has been deeply engaged in shaping the trajectory of CDIS over the previous 5 years,” says Wilcots. “His management as division chair and his ardour for advancing computing analysis and training make him the perfect individual to steer CDIS into this subsequent section.”
Arpaci-Dusseau has additionally earned recognition as one of many high educators in laptop science: He has received the Professor-of-the-12 months award seven instances from the UW–Madison scholar chapter of the Affiliation for Computing Equipment and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Instructing Award. His working techniques textbook is among the many most generally used on this planet, with thousands and thousands of downloads every year.
Arpaci-Dusseau was additionally just lately appointed as particular advisor to the provost for computing. On this capability, he’ll assist information the college’s planning round synthetic intelligence, information and computing initiatives. His twin function will enable him to advance each the strategic imaginative and prescient and tutorial mission of CDIS.
“With 24 years as a school member at UW–Madison, Remzi’s intensive expertise and deep connection to the college will guarantee a seamless transition, as he leads CDIS ahead by advancing its analysis prowess, enhancing its tutorial applications and its mission of closing the digital expertise hole by inclusive and modern training,” says Wilcots.
