In 1964, Frederick P. Brooks Jr., visionary computer scientist and leader of the Revolutionary System of IBM / Family of Computers, founded the IT department at UNC-Chapel Hill, the second autonomous university department of this type in the United States
Since its creation, the ministry has brought revolutionary research which has transformed industries, shaped with technological advances and played an essential role in the propulsion of the region of the research triangle – and the North Carolina – in the digital era. With more than 8,000 old effects in the technology sectors worldwide, the ministry has established itself as a computer power in research and education.
The Department quickly directed the field of infographic and built the fastest graphic processors in the world via the pioneering Pixel-Planes series in the 1980s. The collaborative approach to the ministry resulted in transformative applications of radiotherapy systems which precisely target cancer tumors with augmented reality revolutionary environments that help train health professionals.
Today, the department is a center for research on artificial intelligence and offers pioneering projects in other areas such as real -time systems, robotics and security. The computer scientists of Caroline Mohit Bansal and Ron Alterovitz won the Presidential prize at the start of their career for scientists and engineersAnd faculty researchers continue to push the limits in medical robotics planning, multimodal natural language treatment and IA -focused safety systems.
According to a collection of offices, the department has grown up to have its own specialized research laboratories, classrooms and co-work spaces through a complex of two connected buildings named for its founding chair (Brooks Building) and an old chancellor (Siderson Hall).
Its 60th anniversary occurs during another growth period, because the ministry has hired 25 faculty members in the past four years; has widened its cohort of education faculty to reach more than 1,700 undergraduate majors and 9,000 seats in its classes each year, offering basic courses to complementary areas, including data science, economics, statistics and mathematics; renovated several of its laboratory spaces; and revealedIT experience laboratories.
Celebration of the 60th anniversary
The department has announced that three events will be held from April 10 to 12.
April 10: “Impact engineering: conducting technology with Julia Grace”, 5.30 pm, 201 Chapman Hall
From coding to Sitterson to the driving of innovation at Apple, Netflix and the main technological companies, Julia Grace ’04, ’07 (MS) returns to Caroline to share information on the evolutionary landscape of technology and the critical transitions facing today’s technology professionals.
April 11: “Next in CS: Speed Research Talks”, 4 pm, location to announce
These talks will highlight 15 occupation professors of occupation hired in the past four years. Participants will receive an exclusive overview of advanced research that positions Carolina at the forefront of the most exciting borders of computing, including AI, security, robotics, graphics and more.
April 12: Doors open, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sitterson Hall and Brooks building
Researchers will provide visits to laboratory spaces and demonstrate research projects. Visitors will experience practical demonstrations, including robotic systems under development to help people with daily tasks, new generation virtual reality environments and AI systems that can generate realistic graphics and sounds.
Key milestones in the department:
- 1962: Fred Brooks gives Carolina a conference on “10 IT research problems”.
- 1963: A faculty study committee recommends the creation of a computer department within the UNC College of Arts and Sciences.
- 1964: Fred Brooks establishes the Caroline Information Sciences Department.
- 1966: The department rewards its first master’s degree.
- 1971: In response to industry trends, the ministry changes its name in computer science.
- 1987: The department moved to its first dedicated building, Sitterson Hall.
- 2008: Construction ends on Brooks Building, an expansion of Sitterson Hall.
- 2024: The department famous 60 years of IT excellence.