Harvey Mudd College has received a generous $5M gift to create a new endowed professorship in Computer Science, made possible by Harvey Mudd alum John V. Sell \u201972. The John V. Sell Endowed Professorship in Computer Science will support the work of an outstanding tenured faculty member, ensuring that the College continues to lead in the rapidly evolving landscape of computer science education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEndowed faculty positions are among our highest priorities,\u201d said President Harriet Nembhard. \u201cThey allow us to celebrate the excellence of our current faculty while providing the resources necessary to attract and retain the world-class teacher-scholars who define the Harvey Mudd experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The John V. Sell Endowed Professorship will be awarded to Computer Science Department Chair Jim Boerkoel beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year. Boerkoel has served as chair of the department for the past three years and heads Harvey Mudd College\u2019s Human Experience and Agent Teamwork lab (HEATLab), which develops techniques that augment the cognitive and physical abilities of human beings to create integrated human-robot teams that are more capable than their individual counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am honored to have been named the inaugural John V. Sell Endowed Professor in Computer Science,\u201d said Boerkoel. \u201cThis recognition means a great deal because it reflects the College\u2019s ongoing commitment to teaching, mentorship, and collaborative research. I am also grateful to John for his generosity in investing in the faculty and students who make this community so distinctive. His support helps us continue to push the boundaries of computer science education and research in ways that have a real impact on our students and on society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boerkoel received his bachelor\u2019s degree in both Mathematics and Computer Science from Hope College, his master\u2019s and PhD from the University of Michigan in Computer Science and Engineering. In 2017, Boerkoel was recognized with an NSF CAREER award for his project “Robust and Reliable Multiagent Scheduling under Uncertainty.” More broadly, his research interests include automated planning and scheduling, multi-robot coordination, human-robot interaction, and CS education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Computer science is a cornerstone of the Harvey Mudd experience. The College aims to provide every student with an introduction to the field\u2019s intellectual depth while equipping majors with flexible, experience-based skillsets. This endowment ensures that the College can maintain its rigorous standards and low faculty-to-student ratio, allowing for the high-level mentoring that is a hallmark of an HMC education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The establishment of the John V. Sell Endowed Professorship supports several key objectives within the College\u2019s strategic plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His contribution reflects a profound dedication to the College\u2019s mission of preparing technically adept leaders who understand the impact of their work on society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A visionary leader in hardware architecture, Sell began his post-graduate career at Hewlett-Packard before co-founding Ridge Computers, a pioneer in RISC technology. He later served as a Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft where he was the chief silicon architect for multiple generations of Microsoft\u2019s Xbox consoles. Following a distinguished career that also included senior technical roles at Apple and Intel, he recently retired as a Corporate Vice President for strategic silicon architecture at AMD, leaving a 52-year legacy of innovation across the semiconductor industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sell is a longtime supporter of the College, having served as a volunteer and participant at alumni and College events. In 2018, he established the John Sell \u201972 Annual Scholarship and also funded the John Sell \u201972 Clinic Collaboration Space within the Scott A. McGregor Computer Science Center. He said, \u201cBy investing in faculty who are equally dedicated to excellence in their fields and teaching and mentoring our students, we are ensuring that the College will always be a leader in science and engineering education. This endowment will help support our faculty and our students\u2019 success.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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