Group of students working on laptops together
Giving Opportunities

Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences

All aspects of life in the 21st century depend critically on computing. The college is committed to a vision of computing for the common good, where future leaders help solve society's problems ethically and responsibly. 

Deploying computing for the common good

Faculty and students at Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) understand the critical role played by computing in the worldwide economy, national connectivity, local interaction, and individual experience.

Increased investment in the college will expand their capacity to assess and respond to the social, legal, political, and economic implications of technology.

Our Vision

Shaping the ethical future of computer science

As the pace of new technology and the need for a tech-savvy workforce accelerates, Manning CICS seeks to expand transformative learning experiences for students, support innovative research, and advance the safety, fairness, and ethical use of technology.

$22.9M
research funding awarded in 2024
32%
Percentage of students who identify as women enrolled in Manning CICS undergraduate programs
50%
Of junior faculty are NSF CAREER Award recipients

Initiatives for Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences

Endowed professorships

These positions help us retain top faculty and give them what they need to pursue promising research avenues. They also allow CICS to attract new faculty in areas that represent the future of computing and advance the college’s mission.   

Undergraduate course assistant (UCA) program

The UCA Program allows undergraduates to enrich the learning experience for their peers, assist faculty with course management, and develop professional and leadership skills. CICS intends to expand this program to keep pace with the college’s growth.

The New Voices in Computer Science Scholarship

The New Voices in Computer Science Scholarship supports first-year undergraduate students who have been accepted to the computer science major, with a preference for women and other groups underrepresented in the field.

Collaborative hub for computing

This 90,000-square-foot facility, set to open in 2025, will bring together students and faculty in classrooms, research labs, and community spaces designed to inspire creativity and collaboration in service of the common good.

Public Interest Technology @UMass

PIT@UMass empowers students, faculty and community members from across campus to promote the common good in a technology-driven world through innovative academic and programs that provide opportunities to think critically about responsible technology development.

“It is not enough to drive the state of the art forward, making computing ever more powerful. We need to do more to ensure the safety of the technology we create.”

Laura Haas, Donna M and Robert J Manning Dean
Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences
Laura Haas, Donna M and Robert J Manning Dean, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences

Campaign Progress: $51,800,000

Goal: $60M
86%
CICS building with flowers
Spotlight on computational decarbonization

Reducing society’s carbon footprint through computing

A multi-institution team led by Distinguished Professor Prashant Shenoy has received $12 million from the NSF to develop computational decarbonization, a new branch of computer science and engineering that seeks to automate decarbonization across the electrical grid, the built environment, transportation, and computing itself.

An illustration of big data analytics and high speed communication technology; data flow, data stream, digital information telecommunication, quantum computer qubits and internet concept. Credit: Getty Images
Spotlight on Quantum Information Systems Research

Building the Internet of the Future

Manning CICS and College of Engineering researchers have joined the National Science Foundation’s Center for Quantum Networks. The team is leading the effort to design infrastructure to support future city-scale quantum networks.

Ready to learn more about the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences?