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Shlomo Argamon, professor of computer science, has been named interim chair of Illinois Institute of Technology’s Department of Computer Science by Lance Fortnow, incoming dean of the College of Science, as the search for a new chair commences.

“These are exciting times for computer science, as the field is transforming industry and society and is growing in influence in nearly all intellectual disciplines,” Argamon says. “At the same time �糵���� is growing in importance as a global center for technological innovation. With Illinois Tech’s historic commitment to helping people from all backgrounds to contribute to a dynamic industrial society, our department is uniquely positioned to play an important role in the coming changes.”

In addition to his forward-thinking leadership as the founding director of the Master of Data Science program, Argamon has also been instrumental in the development of the College of Science’s undergraduate computer science course offerings. As a leader of Illinois Tech’s ABET accreditation process for computer science and a key driver in facilitating diverse industry partnerships, he has had a significant impact across campus since joining the faculty in 2002.

“I’m honored to serve with our outstanding faculty, staff, and administration during this time of transition,” Argamon says. “Over the last few years, the department has developed a strong foundation of innovative educational programs; interdisciplinary research collaborations; and partnerships with industry, nonprofits, and government research labs. We’re looking forward to continuing these efforts and building on them to advance our collective mission to benefit society through innovation and excellence.”

“I am confident that Argamon will be able to further advance our computer science department and build upon our sterling reputation for excellence in computer science within the region, across the nation, and around the globe,” Fortnow says.

Argamon received his bachelor of science degree in applied mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University before pursuing a doctorate in computer science at Yale University, where he was the recipient of a Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship. After receiving his doctorate, he was a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Argamon is an internationally recognized expert in machine learning and computational linguistics, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary research on computational methods for stylistic analysis of natural language and applications. He is also a fellow of the British Computer Society and a founding co-editor of the journal Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence: Language and Computation.