Gerald Gannod

Dr. Gerald Gannod is the Harry C. Stonecipher Distinguished Professor and Chair in the Department of Computer Science at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN. He also serves as the Advanced Scalable Computing Extreme Networks & Data (ASCEND) Core Faculty leader, demonstrating his commitment to cutting-edge research and academic leadership.

Dr. Gannod earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University in 1998 under Dr. Betty H.C. Cheng. His academic journey includes professorship at Miami University and assistant professorship at Arizona State University before joining Tennessee Tech. His industry experience spans roles at Suncorp Group, Unisys Corporation, and IBM, providing valuable real-world perspective to his academic work.

His research spans multiple areas including Software Engineering, Agile Software Development, Enterprise Computing, Mobile Computing, and Data Science. Recent work shows a strong emphasis on modernizing computer science education through agile methodologies, parallel computing integration, and AI applications. His publications reveal a consistent focus on improving educational outcomes, with particular attention to student retention in introductory courses and accessibility for visually impaired learners.

Dr. Gannod's research has been supported by prestigious organizations including AFRL, NSF, NASA Langley, NASA IV&V Center, Intel, and Motorola (via the Consortium for Embedded Systems), and the Institute for Manufacturing and Enterprise Systems. These grants reflect the significance and applicability of his work across both academic and industrial domains.

• Harry C. Stonecipher Distinguished Professor

His scholarly contributions include over two decades of publications, with recent work focusing on agile training for capstone projects, modernizing CS1 curriculum, and applying machine learning to healthcare applications. Dr. Gannod has also made significant contributions to accessibility in computing education, developing tactile media approaches for teaching data structures to blind students. His industry experience informs his approach to preparing students for professional practice through DevOps training and other industry-aligned educational methods.

As department chair, Dr. Gannod leads initiatives to strengthen the Computer Science program while maintaining active research and teaching roles. His office is located in Bruner Hall (BRUN) 238, where he engages with students and colleagues on research, teaching, and departmental matters.