University of Toronto Department of Computer Science
The Department of Computer Science (or DCS) at the University of Toronto is an administrative unit within the Faculty of Arts and Science. The Department is one of the highest-ranked Computer Science departments worldwide, placing first among Canadian universities.[4][5][6]
Bahen Centre at the University of Toronto. Most of the department is housed in this building | |
Type | Academic department |
---|---|
Established | 1964 |
Parent institution | Faculty of Arts and Science University of Toronto |
Chair | Marsha Chechik[1] |
Academic staff | 148[2] |
Students | >1200[3] |
Location | , , |
Website | cs |
History
In 1947, Professors B. A. Griffith and A. F. C Stevenson of the Department of Mathematics and V. G. Smith of the Department of Engineering applied for a $10,000 grant from the National Research Council to open a computing department at the University of Toronto.[7]:61 In September 1947 the first funds were provided by the NRC to purchase two IBM punch card mechanical calculators and two assistants to run them; Beatrice Worsley joined the new department in January 1948.[8]:54 In 1951, the Computation Centre was established, with Calvin Gotlieb (previously a member of the Physics Department) as its first faculty member. The Centre housed the first electronic computer in Canada, a Ferranti Mark 1 named "FERUT".[7]:61
The Computation Centre was renamed the Institute for Computer Science in 1962, before being absorbed by the newly-created Department of Computer Science in 1964. The new department, with only six faculty members and four graduate students, had Canada's only computer science doctorate program at the time. The Dynamic Graphics Project was founded as a research laboratory of the Department in 1967.[9] An undergraduate program was introduced in 1971, and the Department became an administrative unit in the Faculty of Arts and Science in 1981.[10]
The Bahen Centre for Information Technology opened in 2002 and became the central hub of computer science and engineering activities along with the Sandford Fleming Building. The Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga was formed in 2003.[10]
Academics
Research Groups
The Department has sixteen research groups:[11]
- Applied and Discrete Mathematics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computational Biology
- Computer Graphics
- Computer Science Education
- Computer Systems and Networks
- Data Science
- Database Systems
- Health and Assistive Technology
- Human Computer Interaction
- Numerical Analysis
- Programming Languages and Methodologies
- Social Networks
- Software Engineering
- Sustainability Informatics
- Theory of Computation
Rankings
The Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto consistently ranks among the highest in the world. In 2018, the University of Toronto was ranked first in Canada (and tenth worldwide) in the subject of Computer Science by the QS World University Rankings, first in Canada (and twenty-second worldwide) by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and first in Canada by the Maclean's University Rankings.[4][5][6]
Notable faculty
- Allan Borodin FRSC; CRM-Fields-PIMS Prize (2008)[12]
- Stephen Cook OC FRS FRSC; Turing Award (1982), CRM-Fields-PIMS Prize (1999)
- Derek Corneil
- Calvin Gotlieb CM FRSC, the "Father of Computing in Canada"[13]
- Eric Hehner
- Ric Holt, co-creator of the Euclid and Turing programming languages
- Jim Horning[14]
- Geoffrey Hinton FRS FRSC, the "Godfather of Deep Learning"
- Josef Kates CM, creator of the first digital game-playing machine[14]
- Avner Magen[15]
- Alberto Mendelzon FRSC[14]
- Charles Rackoff; Gödel Prize (1993)[16]
- Raymond Reiter FRSC[14]
- Demetri Terzopoulos FRS FRSC[17]
- Daniel Wigdor; Sloan Research Fellowship (2015)[18]
References
- "Marsha Chechik starts two-year term as Chair of Department of Computer Science". News. Department of Computer Science. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- "Computer Science". Faculty of Arts & Science Calendar. University of Toronto. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "About". University of Toronto Computer Science Student Union. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018: Computer Science & Information Systems". QS World University Rankings. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "World University Rankings 2018 by subject: computer science". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- "Best computer science universities in Canada: 2018 ranking". Maclean's. 30 November 2017.
- Robinson, Gilbert de Beauregard (1979). The Mathematics Department in the University of Toronto, 1827–1978. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-7727-1600-5.
- Campbell, Scott (October–December 2003). "Beatrice Helen Worsley: Canada's Female Computer Pioneer" (PDF). IEEE Annals of the History of Computing: 51–62. doi:10.1109/MAHC.2003.1253890. ISSN 1058-6180.
- "History of the Dynamic Graphics Project". Dynamic Graphics Project. University of Toronto. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- "History of U of T Computer Science". Department of Computer Science. University of Toronto. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- "Research Areas". Department of Computer Science. University of Toronto. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- "Allan Borodon". Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- Bill Atkinson (3 November 2016). "Kelly Gotlieb was the father of Canadian computing". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- "In Memoriam". Department of Computer Science. University of Toronto. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- MacKenzie, John; Pitassi, Toniann; Zemel, Richard. "Biography". Avner Magen (1968–2010). Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- DCS Professor wins 2011 RSA Conference Award
- "Biographical Sketch". Demetri Terzopoulos. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- Wigdor, Daniel (April 4, 2018). "Daniel Wigdor". LinkedIn. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
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