Computer Science Adds Faculty, Research Expertise


The College of Computing is pleased to welcome new Department of Computer Science faculty members Dr. Dukka KC and Dr. Xinyu Lei.

Dr. KC, associate professor, comes to Michigan Tech from Wichita State University (WSU); he was also on the faculty at North Carolina A&T University. His expertise is in applied deep learning and bioinformatics.

Dr. Xinyu Lei, assistant professor, joins Michigan Tech directly following his PhD completion at Michigan State University. Dr. Lei’s speciality is cybersecurity.

Dennis Livesay, Dave House Dean of Computing, has known Dr. KC for more than 20 years. “Most recently, we worked together at WSU,” Livesay says. “Dukka built the WSU Data Science programs and a number of large interdisciplinary research teams, including a high-profile disaster resiliency effort that enables formation of research clusters to address some of today’s most pressing challenges.”

“Michigan Tech and the College’s research successes are drawing world-class faculty to our campus, and creating exciting new learning and research opportunities for our students,” Livesay notes.

Dean Livesay, who joined MTU earlier this year, is pursuing a steep growth trajectory for the College. Hiring additional faculty bolsters both student success and research capacity, two of Livesay’s four strategic areas of emphasis in the College’s growth initiative, “Forward Together.” Additional strategic initiatives are growing diversity and inclusion and expanding partnerships with industry.