Dear Friends,

As I started my tenure as chair of UC San Diego’s Computer Science and Engineering Department (CSE), we were—and still are—facing undoubtedly challenging times. As a community, we continue to grapple with a relentless pandemic, social unrest in response to systemic racism and an economic downturn that may get worse before it gets better. 

Yet our renowned faculty, exceptional students and dedicated community including staff and alumni have all pulled together to continue the kind of impactful, collaborative work our department is known for.

At times like these, it is important that we reaffirm our department’s core values:

Inclusive Excellence: Embracing inclusiveness will lead us to higher levels of excellence. Inclusiveness is a necessity for excellence.

Compassionate Success: Mentorship and a sense of community help CSE reach the highest achievements while focusing on growth and wellbeing.

Real Impact: Through research and teaching, we embrace activities that lead to real and meaningful impact.

Optimism: While these are challenging times, we fundamentally believe in a better future, both for ourselves and the world.

I cannot be prouder of our department’s dedication to students, education and research, especially during this unprecedented period in our history. Please enjoy this look at our collective accomplishments during the 2019-2020 academic year.

I encourage you to stay in touch and follow our department’s achievements throughout the year.

– Sorin Lerner, CSE Professor and Department Chair