Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Chris GauthierDickey as the inaugural Head of the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing and the Direct Supply Chair of Applied AI and Software Innovation. GauthierDickey brings a distinguished record of academic leadership, research innovation, and a deep commitment to excellence in computing education.

In his new role, GauthierDickey will lead the school’s strategic initiatives, including expanding applied AI education, strengthening industry partnerships and enhancing experiential learning opportunities. He will also oversee the continued development of MSOE’s high-performance computing infrastructure, including Rosie, the university’s NVIDIA-powered supercomputing cluster. GauthierDickey also holds the Direct Supply Chair of Applied AI and Software Innovation, which is funded through a generous philanthropic gift from Regent Bob and Jenny Hillis and Direct Supply.

“Dr. GauthierDickey’s vision aligns perfectly with MSOE’s mission to be a national leader in applied AI education and software innovation,” said Dr. Eric Baumgartner, executive vice president of academics. “His experience in building forward-thinking programs and his passion for student-centered learning make him an ideal leader for the Diercks School of Advanced Computing.”

GauthierDickey joins MSOE from the University of Denver, where he served as chair of the Department of Computer Science in the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. During his six-year tenure as chair, he led transformative growth, doubling student enrollment, expanding faculty and launching new programs in cybersecurity, data science and artificial intelligence. His leadership was marked by a strong emphasis on student success, interdisciplinary collaboration and industry engagement.

A first-generation Latinx college graduate, GauthierDickey has been a national advocate for inclusive computing education. He co-led a multi-institutional, NSF-funded initiative to redesign undergraduate curricula to foster belonging and broaden participation in computer science and engineering. His efforts resulted in significant improvements in student retention and the creation of one of the department’s most popular majors.

“I am honored to join MSOE and lead a school that is already at the forefront of computing education,” said GauthierDickey. “Together with the talented faculty, staff and students, I look forward to building on this strong foundation to create innovative and impactful programs that prepare students to lead in the age of AI.”

GauthierDickey has outlined an ambitious vision for the Diercks School of Advanced Computing to support MSOE’s goal of being a national leader in applied AI education. Key initiatives include integrating AI across all university disciplines, providing hands-on experience with advanced GPU clusters like Rosie and strategically hiring to build AI expertise. His plan emphasizes broadening participation in computing through competency-based, inclusive curricula and experiential learning, while scaling a robust co-op and internship program to better prepare students for the workforce. His additional priorities include fostering faculty diversity and inclusion, and strengthening external fundraising to support student-centered, real-world learning opportunities.

GauthierDickey holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Oregon. His research spans distributed systems, AI ethics, and the intersection of computer science and the arts. His creative works have been exhibited at major institutions including the Denver Art Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. He is a member of the ACM, IEEE, the Colorado Research Institute for Security and Privacy (CRISP), Colorado Interactive Gaming and Simulation Alliance, Independent Game Developer’s Association and the International Game Developer’s Association.

About the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing

Established in 2025, the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing strengthens and grows the MSOE vision of national leadership in AI. It elevates MSOE’s already-strong computing programs and builds the infrastructure needed to integrate AI throughout the curriculum. 

The Diercks School is named to recognize the incredible and historical philanthropic support and vision Dwight and Dian Diercks have given to MSOE. It serves more than 400 students across two undergraduate programs in Computer Science and Software Engineering and nearly 100 students in professional master’s degree and graduate certificate programs in Machine Learning, while also creating pathways for AI integration in business, health care, engineering and design. Beginning fall 2026, the school will also offer an undergraduate degree in cybersecurity systems.