Thomas Cortina

Thomas Cortina is a Teaching Professor in the Computer Science Department and serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. He has dedicated his career to advancing computer science education through innovative teaching methods, curriculum development, and teacher training initiatives that broaden participation in computing.

Dr. Cortina's research focuses on making computer science education more accessible and effective across diverse educational contexts. His work spans K-12 teacher preparation, undergraduate curriculum design, and professional development programs. He has pioneered 'unplugged' activities that teach computing concepts without computers, developed frameworks for teaching responsible computing in context, and created initiatives to advance computing interest through teacher education. His pedagogical approaches emphasize inclusivity, real-world relevance, and computational thinking development.

His publications reveal a consistent focus on addressing challenges in computing education, particularly around broadening participation and making complex concepts accessible. Cortina has explored innovative methods for reaching diverse student populations, developed programs to support high school teachers in CS education, and made significant contributions to the AP Computer Science Principles curriculum. His research bridges theoretical computer science concepts with practical educational applications.

• Undergraduate Teaching Award, Dept. of Computer Science, Stony Brook University (SUNY), 2000
• NSF Engineering Education Scholar, July 1995
• ACM Distinguished Member, 2019
• ACM Senior Member, 2010
• Letter of Commendation from Dr. Roberta Balstad Miller, President of CIESIN, July 1993

As Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Cortina oversees curriculum development and educational initiatives across the School of Computer Science. He has secured significant funding from the National Science Foundation (including grants CNS-1752904 and DRL-0833496) and Google to support his educational projects. His current work addresses the challenges of increasing interest in computing at the undergraduate level through institutional transformation and focuses on advancing computing and technology interest through teacher education (ACTIVATE). He also serves as the AP Computer Science Principles Chief Reader (2020-2025) and has held leadership positions in ACM SIGCSE conferences since 2007.