Northwestern CS Welcomes New Clinical and Teaching-Track Faculty Members
New faculty include clinical professor Andrew Fano and faculty of instruction Joseph Hummel and Zach Wood-Doughty
As part of the ongoing University growth initiative, Northwestern Engineering’s Department of Computer Science welcomes one clinical faculty member and two teaching-track faculty.
“Our new colleagues will offer a wealth of knowledge and new research collaborations and courses to our entire community,” said Samir Khuller, Peter and Adrienne Barris Chair of Computer Science.
Clinical Faculty
In early April, Andrew Fano joined as clinical professor of computer science and codirector of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and McCormick School of Engineering MBAi program. Prior to joining Northwestern, he spent 25 years at Accenture Labs, where he most recently was the global managing director of artificial intelligence (AI) research and development. In this capacity, he led research teams in the US, Ireland, India, China, and France on a range of applied AI research projects that demonstrated the potential applications of emerging approaches on a variety of problems including conversational systems, computational creativity, semi-automated data labeling, supply chain security, promotion optimization, bias detection, regulatory compliance, and knowledge management.
Fano also led the Accenture Labs University program which involved research sponsorships to more than 24 top universities worldwide. His experience bridging the business and academic communities informs his efforts at the MBAi program. His goal is to harness Northwestern and industry resources to produce graduates with a realistic understanding of what kind of industry problems can be addressed with AI and related technologies, what it takes to deploy such systems, and what it means to do so in a responsible manner. Fano earned his PhD in computer science with a focus on AI from Northwestern Engineering and completed the Kellogg Executive MBA Program.
Faculty of Instruction
Joseph Hummel joins this summer as a full professor of instruction. Most recently, Hummel served as clinical associate professor in computer science, director of undergraduate studies, and codirector of the Early Research Scholars Program at the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). Hummel earned a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Irvine, focusing on high-performance computing and optimizing compilers. He has earned numerous teaching awards, including two UIC Silver Circle awards. Hummel’s research interests include programming languages, high-performance computing, and working with undergraduates interested in research. He is also an avid sailor and active in the Chicago sailing community.
Zach Wood-Doughty will be promoted from McCormick Teaching Fellow to an assistant professor of instruction in September. His research focuses on using natural language processing methods in causal inference. Specifically, he is interested in what assumptions are necessary to make causal claims from the study of observational data collected from social media texts and clinical notes. Wood-Doughty earned a PhD in computer science in 2021 and an MSE in computer science degree in 2017 from Johns Hopkins University. He received a bachelor of arts in computer science and mathematics from Carleton College in 2014.
Transforming Computer Science Education
Capitalizing on the rapid growth of computer science, Northwestern CS teaching faculty are reimagining curricula while strengthening the department’s inclusive community. Since the launch of the University growth initiative in 2016, Northwestern CS has added 10 fully integrated teaching-track faculty, all of whom hold doctorate degrees, advise undergraduate research projects, and pursue their own research specialties. Learn more about how our faculty of instruction are transforming computer science education.