Complex problems confront us every day. Many of these challenges can be solved only with novel technological strategies and an array of new resources. For instance, organizing emergency relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims involved collecting and interpreting vast amounts of data from many disparate sources, planning coordinated responses among different agencies in real time and monitoring the overall effects of their action. Likewise, planning and building sustainable cities requires analyzing data on housing and traffic, making zoning and construction decisions and tracking the results of these choices over time.
Informatics is an emerging discipline that applies computing and information technology to address such challenges. Informatics builds upon computer science theory, tools and practice, but differs in its problem-centered, system-level and human-centered approach to technology. This applied focus makes informatics inherently interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. The School of Computing and Informatics at ASU is uniquely positioned as a leader in this important and promising field.
Investing in SCI
Your gift to the School of Computing and Informatics (SCI) at ASU supports many groundbreaking initiatives, research and the students and faculty who conceive them. Some examples of the successes at SCI include:
BMI Graduate Program
School of Computing and Informatics joined the ranks of institutions like Columbia University, University of Utah and University of Pittsburgh with the addition of master’s and doctoral programs in biomedical informatics. This new master’s program made its debut in the fall of 2007 with an inaugural class of thirteen students.
Center for Information Assurance
The Information Assurance Center (IAC) addresses the broad range of issues in developing trustworthy information systems through engaging academic curricula, internships, collaborations with industry and other universities on various research projects. According to the National Security Agency, information assurance is defined as the set of measures intended to protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation.
SkySong and SCI Create Student Opportunities
Students and faculty in SCI wishing to combine research with industry and cutting-edge technology have a place to pursue these interests at Skysong, a collaborative project between the university, the City of Scottsdale and various industry partners. An example of a program come to life is CampGame, a gaming laboratory which helps high school students to help build interest in careers involving science, math and technology. SCI instructors teach the summer camp in the gaming classroom developed by SCI at Skysong.