Computer Science Department at Southeast celebrating 50 years

It isn�t every institution that can boast more than50 years of processing and computing courses, but this year, the Computer Science Department at Southeast Missouri State University is marking that very occasion.

Andrew Banning, right, works on wiring a timer with the help of his lab partners Eshter Ahmed, front left, and Althaf Vajrala, center, during a lab period at Southeast Missouri State University's Computer Science building Dempster Hall on April 13 in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

The program first launched as an associate degree in 1966, and, according to a university news release, was among the earliest computer science programs to appear in United States universities.

Southeast was still named Southeast Missouri State College at that time, being renamed Southeast Missouri State University in 1973.

Today, the department offers three bachelor�s degrees: computer science, computer information systems and cybersecurity; and one graduate program, a master�s degree in applied computer science.

And students have access to three computer labs and one �cyber stadium,� a system of equipment large enough to allow students room to experiment with programming builds.

Southeast Missouri State University computer science student Cramer McGarr, front left, talks with lab assistant Adam Thomas, front right, during a lab Tuesday at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�We always strive to pursue to offer not just the best quality education to our students, but also the most front-line curriculum which is aligned with the dawn of the forthcoming industrial revolution,� said Ziping Liu, a professor in the department.

Liu said she and the other faculty members are continually working to build and rebuild the curriculum to give students the best tools to go forward, and many Southeast graduates are doing just that.

Liu said Southeast graduates are working in Cape Girardeau and Jackson businesses, developing software and providing cybersecurity services, and also are working for companies including Garmin, and Google, JP Morgan.

Southeast Missouri State University computer science professor Ziping Liu teaches a class Monday at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Graduates have even gone on to work for NASA, said Suhair Amer, another professor in the department.

Xuesong Zhang, who joined the department as a professor in 2000, said the program has �evolved substantially� from its early days to today�s rapidly-changing digital age.

Amer said 57 percent of the department�s current faculty members worked in industry, and bring that level of experience and industry understanding to the program.

A Southeast Missouri State University student operates an IBM 370 computer located in Southeast's Computer-Data Processing Center on the first floor of Academic Hall in 1974.Southeast Missouri State University

�It�s better for the students,� she said.

Sumanth Yenduri, department chairman, said the job market is �exploding� for graduates with degrees related to the discipline.

�There isn�t a discipline or job that doesn�t need computer science,� he said.

The department itself was founded in 1973, according to the release, and a Bachelor of Science in computer science gave students a range of skills, from learning how to operate computers to more advanced skills, including programming and system design.

Southeast Missouri State University computer science student Matt Smith receives assistance from Suhair Amer during a lab Tuesday at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�Our students knew how to do more than just theorize,� Bill Weber, retired chairman of the Computer Science Department, who served in that capacity from 1981 to 1996, said in the release. �We had tremendous students, and it was my goal and the faculty�s goal to make sure they knew how to do the work.�

The computer science program earned accreditation from the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board of Engineering Technology Inc. in fall 2010, the release stated.

With the launch of the Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity degree in 2011 at Southeast, faculty members said, students can now learn valuable skills with applications for every business and entity.

Southeast Missouri State University lab assistant Adam Thomas, left, helps computer science student Emma Knight during a lab Tuesday at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Vijay Anand, director of Southeast�s cybersecurity program, faculty adviser to Southeast�s cybersecurity team and associate professor of computer science, said the university hosts security competitions, and he is the director for those.

These competitions bring in top talent from across the state, he said, and the competitions utilize the �cyber stadium� as a kind of virtual gymnasium.

�It�s very good for students to learn and practice,� Anand said, adding it�s important for the institution as well to be recognized as an innovative place.

Andrew Banning works on wiring a timer during a lab period at Southeast Missouri State University's Computer Science building Dempster Hall on April 13 in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

In the release, Yenduri said the cybersecurity program recently was selected to participate in a piloted accreditation process by ABET for a new cybersecurity accreditation. Southeast is only one of four institutions nationally, he added.

Yenduri added the best way for Southeast to remain competitive in a global market is to continually research and develop the best, most cutting-edge information and tools students will need to tackle an array of different career paths they could take with a degree the department offers.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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