Thursday, April 23, members of the College of William and Mary community gathered outside Integrated Science Center 4 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Speakers included inaugural Dean of the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics Douglas Schmidt ’84 M.A. ’86, College Rector Charles E. Poston J.D. ’74, P ’02, ’06, College President Katherine Rowe and Provost Peggy Agouris.
“This building was designed to foster exactly that kind of interdisciplinary engagement that defines our school, and by an extension, all of William and Mary,” Schmidt said. “It’s a place where ideas will be tested, partnerships will take root, and our students will be prepared to lead, question and innovate in ways that only William and Mary graduates can lead.”
After opening remarks, Poston described the building’s opening as a significant milestone in the College’s history.
“The work happening here — from theoretical physics to cutting-edge data science — is a powerful engine for this R1 university,” he said. “It exemplifies the high level of research and teaching that defines William and Mary.”
Poston emphasized ISC4’s role in connecting undergraduates with faculty members and research opportunities. He explained that the space will invite students to engage with emerging technologies.
Rowe echoed this sentiment, sharing that six years ago, Student Assembly leaders advocated for stronger programs in computer science, data science and data analytics.
“What we are affirming is exactly what that student proposal said, that the ability to think critically with data, with numeracy, is one of the essential liberal arts of the 21st century,” she said.
Rowe also said that the commonwealth of Virginia provided $102 million in funding to construct ISC4. The building includes an applied research center, an 8,000-square-foot makerspace, classrooms, labs and more.
“Our students and faculty now have an environment and the infrastructure to pursue questions that just don’t fit neatly into a single field,” Agouris said. “The discoveries made here will matter beyond the campus, to the Commonwealth, to industry, to the broader scientific community.”
Agouris highlighted the space’s role in supporting a variety of disciplines.
“The best way of creating an environment where lots of ideas flourish is to put people from different areas in the same building and give them space to innovate,” she said. “And so, while this is the home of CDSP, its reach is campus wide.”
Following Schmidt’s concluding remarks, Rowe invited Virginia Delegate Cliff Hayes Jr. to join the speakers in cutting the ribbon.
“We are so grateful for the General Assembly’s support, and you [Hayes] have been such an incredible champion of STEM at William and Mary,” Rowe said.
After the ceremony, Chair and Sidney P. Chockley Professor of Computer Science Evgenia Smirni, who has worked at the College for 29 years, reflected on the department’s changes.
“When I came, it was a small department focusing mainly on teaching,” she said. “The department has since become like a research powerhouse, but of course, our strength and quality of teaching are still palpable.”
Since becoming department chair four years ago, Smirni said ISC4’s opening felt like a long-term vision coming to life.
“I can only say great things about the space,” she said. “It creates community, and it’s always full of students.”
Smirni noted that minor issues arose when the building first opened. For example, lab occupancy sensors would shut off power — including to computers — when nobody was present. Since then, however, many of these problems have been resolved.
“Now, we’re in the beautification stage, where we have all our signs up,” Smirni said. “The building is mainly ‘debugged’ by now.”
