Computer Science Celebrating 50 Years as a Department at Hofstra
Gerda L. Kamberova, PhD (Computer Science) Department of Computer Science Chairperson and Professor Gerda.L.Kamberova@hofstra.edu
This is a special year for us: it is 50 years since the official establishment of the Department of Computer Science at Hofstra. What a journey! I am glad to report that the department is experiencing unprecedented growth, evident in the energy and excitement of our students and faculty in the Science & Innovation Center. Our BS in Computer Engineering program received news of its ABET reaccreditation, and thanks are due to the dedicated faculty, particularly to Drs. Doboli and Segal.
We have more students, more faculty, more research space (in fact we are outgrowing it), more quality research papers, more grants, more students in the Co-op program, and new members and leadership in the department Industry Advisory Board. The C.O.D.E club, which was established last year, is officially recognized as the national student chapter of ACM (the premier professional society for all things Computing). The WiCys, Women in Cyber Security club, which welcomes all, has a new faculty advisor, Dr. Krish, and the club will continue to be the focus of “all things Cyber”. Theta Tau, the oldest and largest co-ed technical fraternity, has an established footprint at Hofstra, with members from both the Computer Science and Engineering departments I applaud these three clubs for their collegial spirit, high ethics and supportive and inclusive environment, and that they are planning activities and events in concert with each other. I encourage all students, particularly our new students, undergraduate and graduate, to get involved From the very beginning fifty years ago, the students in the department have demonstrated a commitment to go beyond what they learn in class, support and inspire each other, and work for the common good of society.
I also want to call attention to two new full-time faculty members:
Dr. Zonghua Gu is an Associate Professor of Computer Science, joining Drs. Doboli and Segal as the faculty experts in Computer Engineering. He received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He then worked as Assistant Professor and Associate Professor in China, and Professor in
Sweden before joining Hofstra. His research interests include real-time embedded systems, cyber–physical systems, and machine learning. We expect that in the near future he will teach a new course, and engage students in the fascinating topic of Autonomous Vehicles.
Dr. Marco Romanelli
Dr. Marco Romanelli is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science, with expertise in Cybersecurity and Trustworthy AI. He already is making his mark by representing the DeMatteis School (together with Professors Jeffreys and Kamberova) at the Hofstra Presidential Symposium this year. Prior to joining the faculty at Hofstra, Dr. Romanelli was a Research Associate at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Siena in Italy, and his Ph.D. from École Polytechnique and Inria in Paris, France. His Ph.D. thesis received the UFI Vinci Best Thesis Award. His research interests are at the intersection of information theory and machine learning, with a particular focus on trustworthy and secure AI. He has authored numerous papers which have received high recognition from the research community. In Spring 2025, he will teach a new course called Cybersecurity for AI and Machine Learning, and has future plans to develop a course in Cryptography
[DeMatteis School Fall 2024 Newsletter]