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Welcome to the Computer Science Department

The Stanford Computer Science Department seeks to produce leaders who will shape the future. We believe that CS graduates need to be creative out-of-the-box thinkers with a mission to be socially responsible. They need to cultivate interdisciplinary skills and have the ability and enthusiasm to collaborate with others. 

Welcome Day 2023

Welcome New MS and PhD Students

A big welcome to each of our new Computer Science MS and PhD Students! Here’s to new and bright beginnings.

Enjoy the highlights
headshot: Mehran Sahami

Welcome from
Mehran Sahami, PhD
Department Chair, Computer Science

"Welcome to the Computer Science Department at Stanford University!  We are dedicated to producing field-transforming research and providing world-class educational opportunities in computing.  Founded in 1965, the department is consistently ranked among the top computer science departments in the world.  It is home to several A. M. Turing Award winners and MacArthur Fellows, as well as numerous members of the National Academies of Engineering, Medicine, and Science, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  Work by our faculty spans all areas of computing in addition to numerous multidisciplinary collaborations with a wide range of other strong departments across the university. 

With a deep departmental commitment to exceptional teaching, the Computer Science major is, by far, the largest undergraduate major at Stanford.  

Graduates of our PhD program have gone on to take faculty positions at top universities around the world and play leading roles in industrial research labs.  With Stanford serving as a seedbed for Silicon Valley, it is no surprise that faculty and alumni of our department have founded some of the most well-known technology companies, including Alphabet/Google, Netflix, VMware, Arista Networks, and others.

Our department strongly believes that diversity among our students and faculty will help produce better solutions to the technological challenges we face.  We strive to build an inclusive community where different viewpoints are valued, and everyone is welcome and respected.  We firmly believe that, if we appreciate the responsibility that accompanies power and consider the broad perspectives of different stakeholders, computing will continue to serve humanity well."

Mehran Sahami
Tencent Chair, Computer Science Department

Mehran Sahami is Tencent Chair of the Computer Science Department and the James and Ellenor Chesebrough Professor in the School of Engineering. As a Professor (Teaching) in the Computer Science Department, he is also a Bass Fellow in Undergraduate Education and previously served as the Associate Chair for Education in Computer Science. Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, he was a Senior Research Scientist at Google. His research interests include computer science education, artificial intelligence, and ethics.

He served as co-chair of the ACM/IEEE-CS joint task force on Computer Science Curricula 2013, which created curricular guidelines for college programs in computer science at an international level. He has also served as an elected member of the ACM Council, the chair of the ACM Education Board, and was appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown to the state's Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan Advisory Panel.

Contact
sahami@cs.stanford.edu
Gates Building, Room 274 | Computer Science Department | Stanford University | Stanford,  California  94305 


 

Welcome from Debby Inenaga

Welcome from Debby Inenaga
Director of Finance and Operations, Computer Science
"Welcome!  The professional administrative staff at Stanford's Computer Science Department consists of a dedicated team of around 60 individuals.  Our mission is to support the department's faculty and students, facilitating their research and teaching endeavors with efficiency, expertise, and a commitment to excellence.  If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us."

Data Science Building under construction
Under Construction

The New Data Science & Computation Complex

Construction is well underway on a second building that will house a part of the Computer Science Department. Get a sneak peek and be sure to check back here  for updates.

 


Working at Stanford: Careers With a Mission

Stanford offers an abundance of career opportunities that span seven schools and numerous academic and administrative areas. Here, an array of supportive and diverse programs are designed to set employees on a path of lifelong learning and professional development. We welcome you to join our vibrant, mission-driven culture of excellence.

CS Staff at Cantor

Staff, Computer Science Department

“As the Student Financial Officer in the Computer Science Department, I help simplify the student funding process for Graduate Students, Staff, and Faculty each quarter to ensure bills and students are paid on time. This way they can put all their focus on their research endeavors and teaching our aspiring CS Undergraduates and CS Master Students the latest in computing.

I appreciate our leadership’s focus on work life balance and staff personal growth which has helped me succeed in this role and continually gives me new goals to aim for. I am also amazed by how our diverse staff, who come from different backgrounds and experiences, bring their unique perspectives and expertise that make this department so interesting and fun to work for.”
- Jeremiah Buelna Martinez-Copeland (he,him,his)
Student Financial Officer

Explore Careers


 

Graduate at Commencement 2023