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Vanderbilt has begun work to establish a transformative college dedicated to computer science, AI, data science and related fields, university leaders announced today. In addition to meeting the growing demand for degrees in technological fields and advancing research in rapidly evolving, computing-related disciplines, the new, interdisciplinary college will collaborate with all of Vanderbilts schools and colleges to advance breakthrough discoveries and strengthen computing education through a computing for all approach.

The College of Connected Computing will be led by a new dean, who will report to Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver and to School of Engineering Dean Krishnendu Krish Roy. The search for the colleges dean is scheduled to begin in late August, and recruiting of faculty will begin in the coming months. It will be the first new college at Vanderbilt since the university and the Blair School of Music merged in 1981.

Of all the factors shaping society, few are more influential than the rapid emergence of advanced computing, AI and data science, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. To continue to carry out our mission, prepare all our students for their careers and advance research across the university, Vanderbilt must contribute even more to the study, understanding and innovative application of these fast-changing disciplines. Our aim is to make Vanderbilt a global leader in these fields, ensuring our continued academic excellence and capacity for world-changing innovation.

Our new college will enable us to build upon our strong programs and catapult Vanderbilt to the forefront of breakthrough discovery and innovationin key areas of computer science and also in a wide range of other disciplines that capitalize on advanced computational methods. In launching this new college, we will provide students with highest-caliber educational opportunities at the intersection of these pathbreaking fields, Raver said. The creation of this college represents a tremendous win and will be transformative for our entire university community.

Raver noted the ways that Vanderbilt is forging a bold and distinct strategic path to address burgeoning research and educational opportunities, including increasing demand for expertise in computing-related fields. Moreover, she said, the global interest in AI aligns perfectly with Vanderbilts leading work in that field. She said a dedicated college will enable Vanderbilt to keep making groundbreaking discoveries at the intersections of computing and other disciplines and will more effectively leverage advanced computing to address some of societys most pressing challenges.

The establishment of this interdisciplinary, cross-cutting college is a watershed momentnot only for the School of Engineering, but also for the entire university, Roy said. The future of education, research and thinking in all disciplines is now inherently tied to, and will be greatly influenced by, the knowledge and power of computing. The idea of computing for all is fundamental to the future of learning.

Many of the specific details about the collegeincluding its departments, degree programs and research infrastructurewill be informed by the recommendations of a task force on connected computing composed of faculty from across the university. In addition, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation Padma Raghavan will launch a Computing Catalyst working group that will engage faculty and staff leaders in computing from across campus and solicit their input on strategically expanding the universitys computing resources. The decision to establish this new college is rooted in conversations with faculty, Raver said. We are continuing that faculty engagement with this working group, and were fortunate to have the advice of some of the best minds in these fields as we embark on this exciting journey.

The members of the Connected Computing Task Force include:

Krishnendu Roy, Chair Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering University Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Douglas Adams Vice Dean of the Schools of Engineering Daniel F. Flowers Chair Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Affiliate, VINSE

Hiba Baroud Associate Chair and Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering James and Alice B. Clark Foundation Faculty Fellow Associate Professor of Computer Science Faculty Affiliate, VECTOR, Data Science Institute

Gautam Biswas Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Computer Science and Computer Engineering Professor of Engineering Management Senior Research Scientist, ISIS Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Erin Calipari Associate Professor of Pharmacology Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Director, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Brain Institute

Laurie Cutting Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor and Professor of Special Education Professor of Psychology Professor of Pediatrics Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor of Radiology & Radiological Sciences Associate Provost in the Office of the Vice Provost of Research and Innovation Associate Director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Brain Institute

Benoit Dawant Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Electrical Engineering Incoming Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Director and Steering Committee Chair, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery & Engineering Professor of Biomedical Engineering Professor of Computer Science

Abhishek Dubey Associate Professor of Computer Science Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Director, SCOPE lab at ISIS Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems and Data Science Institute

Bennett Landman Stevenson Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor of Biomedical Engineering Professor of Computer Science Professor of Neurology Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE), Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Institute of Image Science (VUIIS), Data Science Institute

Michael Matheny Professor of Biomedical Informatics Professor of Biostatics Professor of Medicine Director, Center for Improving the Publics Health Through Informatics

Sandeep Neema Professor of Computer Science Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair of the Executive Council, Institute for Software Integrated Systems

Ipek Oguz Assistant Professor of Computer Science Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE)

J.B. Ruhl David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law Director, Program in Law and Innovation Co-Director, Energy, Environment and Land Use Program Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Jesse Spencer-Smith Professor of the Practice of Computer Science Adjunct Professor of Psychology Interim Director and Chief Data Scientist, Data Science Institute

Jonathan Sprinkle Professor of Computer Science Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems

Yuankai Kenny Tao Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences SPIE Faculty Fellow in Engineering Faculty Affiliate, Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery & Engineering

Holly Tucker Mellon Foundation Chair in the Humanities Professor of French Director, Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities

Kalman Varga Vice Chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy Professor of Physics Director, Minor in Scientific Computing Faculty Affiliate, VINSE

Steven Wernke Chair of the Department of Anthropology Associate Professor of Anthropology Director, Vanderbilt Initiative for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Research Faculty Affiliate, Data Science Institute

Jules White Professor of Computer Science Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Generative AI in Education and Enterprise Solutions Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Software Integrated Systems, Data Science Institute

Dan Work Director of Graduate Studies in Civil Engineering Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Professor of Computer Science Faculty Affiliate, VECTOR, Institute for Software Integrated Systems, Data Science Institute

Tracey George ex officio Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Education Charles B. Cox III and Lucy D. Cox Family Chair in Law and Liberty Professor of Law

Tiffiny Tung Ex officio Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Social and Natural Sciences Professor of Anthropology

Members of the Vanderbilt community can learn more about this initiative and share feedback with the faculty working group by visiting vanderbilt.edu/about/computingtaskforce.

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Vanderbilt to establish a college dedicated to computing, AI and data science - Vanderbilt University News

Popular artificial intelligence (AI) powered image generators can run up to 30 times faster thanks to a technique that condenses an entire 100-stage process into one step, new research shows.

Scientists have devised a technique called "distribution matching distillation" (DMD) that teaches new AI models to mimic established image generators, known as diffusion models, such as DALLE 3, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion.

This framework results in smaller and leaner AI models that can generate images much more quickly while retaining the same quality of the final image. The scientists detailed their findings in a study uploaded Dec. 5, 2023, to the preprint server arXiv.

"Our work is a novel method that accelerates current diffusion models such as Stable Diffusion and DALLE-3 by 30 times," study co-lead author Tianwei Yin, a doctoral student in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, said in a statement. "This advancement not only significantly reduces computational time but also retains, if not surpasses, the quality of the generated visual content.

Diffusion models generate images via a multi-stage process. Using images with descriptive text captions and other metadata as the training data, the AI is trained to better understand the context and meaning behind the images so it can respond to text prompts accurately.

Related: New AI image generator is 8 times faster than OpenAI's best tool and can run on cheap computers

In practice, these models work by taking a random image and encoding it with a field of random noise so it is destroyed, explained AI scientist Jay Alammar in a blog post. This is called "forward diffusion," and is a key step in the training process. Next, the image undergoes up to 100 steps to clear up the noise, known as "reverse diffusion" to produce a clear image based on the text prompt.

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By applying their new framework to a new model and cutting these "reverse diffusion" steps down to one the scientists cut the average time it took to generate an image. In one test, their model slashed the image-generation time from approximately 2,590 milliseconds (or 2.59 seconds) using Stable Diffusion v1.5 to 90 ms 28.8 times faster.

DMD has two components that work together to reduce the number of iterations required of the model before it spits out a usable image. The first, called "regression loss," organizes images based on similarity during training, which makes the AI learn faster. The second is called "distribution matching loss," which means the odds of depicting, say, an apple with a bite taken out of it corresponds with how often you're likely to encounter one in the real world. Together these techniques minimize how outlandish the images generated by the new AI model will look.

"Decreasing the number of iterations has been the Holy Grail in diffusion models since their inception," co-lead author Fredo Durand, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, said in the statement. "We are very excited to finally enable single-step image generation, which will dramatically reduce compute costs and accelerate the process."

The new approach dramatically reduces the computational power required to generate images because only one step is required as opposed to "the hundred steps of iterative refinement" in original diffusion models, Yin said. The model can also offer advantages in industries where lightning-fast and efficient generation is crucial, the scientists said, leading to much quicker content creation.

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MIT scientists have just worked out how to make the most popular AI image generators 30 times faster - Livescience.com

If working with software, technology and a systems mindset interests you, computer science can be a great fit. Its a field that offers many opportunities to work in cutting-edge technology and can lead to a variety of rewarding career paths.

Computer science is a diverse field grounded in technology, combining elements of project planning, software development, data analysis and more, said Dr. Gary Savard, an associate dean of computer science at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

In addition to work at SNHU, Savard has extensive experience working in the computer science field in other ways. He served in the United States Air Force as an officer, both active and reserve, for more than 30 years. He also worked as a software engineer for many companies and owned a software company himself.

His experience in the field ranges from classified Department of Defense projects to maintenance workflow software, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, large-scale database systems, web development and many other types of software development.

At SNHU, Savard oversees the team responsible for computer science course development and management, among many other responsibilities with both faculty and students.

Computer science is highly in demand across all types of industry, Savard said.* In fact, the field is enjoying exponential growth, both with traditional companies and with cutting-edge start-ups, he said.*

Earning a degree in computer science demonstrates your ability to work in a team as well as your aptitude for learning new technological skills and programming languages. You will also gain a lot of experience with hands-on learning and collaboration, according to Nick LeBoeuf '23.

Since earning his bachelor's degree in computer science from SNHU, LeBoeuf has put his own technological skills to work at his job in web development. To be successful in this role, he needs strong design skills coupled with the ability to put himself in the end-user's shoes.

LeBoeuf enjoys working in a profession that challenges him to keep his skills sharp. What I love most about the computer science field is that you are constantly learning, he said. Technology is ever-evolving, and in computer science, we are (on) the front lines of this ever-changing field, trying to ... adapt our existing applications to new standards.

Any degree can be hard if its the wrong fit. While computer science is no doubt a challenging major for many due to its highly technical and mathematical nature, its a field that can be very rewarding for the right person, said Savard.

It takes some time to develop the skills required (to be successful), but grit and persistence pays off, he said.

As a recent graduate, LeBoeuf said, I do think computer science (may) require more effort than other degrees ... but if you put in that effort and really enjoy what you do, it doesnt seem hard."

Several skills that can be helpful for success in the computer science field, per Savard, are:

There are likely some individual classes you might not want to take, just like with any degree program, but these classes may help you later on in your schooling and career.

For LeBoeuf, "Data Structures and Algorithms" was a challenge. When I was taking the class my sophomore year, it was definitely not my favorite class ... but I stuck with it because I knew it was important, he said.

Two years later, LeBoeuf was able to apply what he learned in this class by serving as a Lead Peer Educator at SNHU for the computer science program. Through this role, he was able to teach other computer science majors the material and help them along in their own schooling. Today, working in the field as a front-end developer, LeBoeuf continues to apply the concepts he learned in that class every day.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows positive job outlooks for a number of professions suitable for people with a bachelor's degree in computer science.* These professions include:

Median incomes for these jobs range from $80,730 for web developers and digital designers to $126,900 for computer network architects, BLS reported.* Job outlooks for each are predicted to increase between 4% (the national average for job growth) for computer network architects and by as much as 32% for information security analysts over the next 10 years, according to BLS.*

According to BLS, you may engage in the following types of work, depending on your specific career choice:

While many computer science jobs require only a bachelor's degree to get started, if you go on to earn a master's degree, you may have even more career opportunities (SNHU does not currently offer a master's degree in computer science).

Working as a computer and information research scientist in software, research and development and computer systems design tends to be among the higher-earning computer science careers, as reported by BLS.* There are also many opportunities to work in the federal government, including the military, as well as academia. While these latter roles may not be as lucrative as more technological jobs, they still pay between $84,440 and $115,400, according to BLS.*

Understandably, it may sound as though artificial intelligence, commonly known as AI, could take over the industry and result in computer scientists losing their jobs.

Its important to remember that AI was originally developed by computer scientists. Because of this, Savard said he feels confident that computer science as a discipline isnt going anywhere. Instead, "AI will help us to progress more quickly in developing new technologies as well as automate some of the more tedious tasks that can consume part of our day, he said.

LeBoeuf agrees that AI is a good thing. People think that AI is going to take jobs, he said. (But) you still need that human aspect to every single job to make sure AI is producing what it's meant to (produce).

After all, computer scientists are the ones who implement AI into websites and applications for people to use, LeBoeuf said.

AI can revolutionize various industries by improving efficiency and decision-making, he said. Through the tons of data you give it, (AI) also might discover new patterns or insights that humans might overlook because of the amount of data (they have before them).

Everyone has their own motivation for choosing a careerfield. If you have an interest in one or more of the following areas, you may find computer science a good path for you, said Savard:

Savard recognizes the unique skill set of computer scientists. He said that the ability to do things that seem like magic to those not in the field is very rewarding. Working first in the military and now in academia, he enjoys being able to put his skills to use educating others.

LeBoeuf's work is with a civil engineering firm. He enjoys the public involvement aspect of the field in particular.

Putting yourself in the users shoes, and understanding where they would look for certain items on a website," is important and useful, LeBoeuf said.

The quickly expanding nature of the computer science field and the many avenues for learning and applying your skills are top benefits to a career in computer science.

Taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration and learning while in school can help prepare you for the rewarding computer science career of your choice.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelliis a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus whether teaching or writing is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Is a Computer Science Degree Worth It? - Southern New Hampshire University