Texas A&M University Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Thinking about grad school? Beginning this semester, we’re offering a Master of Science in Cybersecurity!

Students will gain hands-on experience in computer security, network security, cryptography, ethical hacking, risk management, incident response and secure software development. The program requires 30 hours of coursework and is expected to take two years to complete.

“Cybersecurity is the present, and cybersecurity is the future,” said Dr. Nitesh Saxena. “These graduates will be fully equipped to secure everything that has a computer chip in it and everything that has connectivity, ranging from our mobile phones, smart appliances and autonomous cars to AI systems and servers in the cloud.”

Applications for the spring 2027 semester are open and will close on Sept. 1, 2026.

Read more: tx.ag/CybersecurityMasters

Last week, our faculty and staff gathered at the Texas A&M University Galveston Campus for our annual retreat.

We celebrated the new Engineering Classroom and Research Building (ECRB) — our home in Galveston — and prepared for the new academic year.

We are one department serving two locations, so the retreat was a wonderful chance for our team to get together in person and for our College-Station-based faculty and staff to visit our Galveston-based faculty and staff.

We’re looking forward to an excellent year!

Dr. Robin Murphy is on the Forbes 50 Over 50: Impact list for her contributions to disaster robotics!

Forbes describes this group as entrepreneurs and leaders who are “tackling the world’s most pressing problems with a powerful combination of empathy, expertise and experience.”

Dr. Murphy co-founded the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue (CRASAR), and “she has deployed robotic systems at more than 30 major disasters, including the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.”

Congratulations, Dr. Murphy!

Read more: tx.ag/Forbes50Over50ImpactList

2026 50 Over 50: Impact These 50 mission-minded innovators on this list are using their insights and influence to leave the world better than they found it.

As the fall semester nears, we’re looking forward to Computer Science Day!

CS Day is an annual event where we invite Texas high-school students to attend talks and participate in hands-on activities. Students learn about computer science careers and opportunities to study computer science in our department.

Past presentations have included a robot petting zoo, a driving simulation and video games by undergraduate students.

Pictured here is Dr. Marian Zaki leading her session titled Hack the Code. Dr. Zaki is one of our faculty members based at our Texas A&M University Galveston Campus location.

Today we welcomed Dr. David Gleich for a guest lecture about magnetic graph matrices titled “Powers of magnetic graph matrix: Fourier spectrum, walk compression, and applications.”

Dr. Gleich is a professor and University Faculty Scholar at Purdue Computer Science. His research focuses on novel models and fast large-scale algorithms for data-driven scientific computing including scientific data analysis, bioinformatics, and network analysis.

Thank you for visiting and sharing your research with us, Dr. Gleich!

Dr. Tianbao Yang is training an AI model to analyze patient data to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and determine the disease’s progression. The model will also list its reasoning so that physicians can evaluate the diagnosis themselves.

Currently, physicians rely on a combination of imaging, exams and blood tests to diagnose Alzheimer’s, and symptoms often take years to surface. This model may enable earlier detection, which could improve patients’ quality of life and help physicians slow the disease’s progression.

Learn more about this research: tx.ag/AItoDiagnoseAlzheimers

senior Anisha Menezes has received an Astronaut Scholarship!

The Astronaut Scholarship is awarded to juniors and seniors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and is one of the largest merit-based scholarships for undergraduates. In 2026, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation awarded 79 scholarships to exceptional students across the nation who show initiative and creativity in their chosen field.

Anisha offered advice to other students considering similar competitive scholarship opportunities.

“Just throw your hat in the ring regardless of what you may think you’re capable of or what you think you deserve. Applying for this scholarship was very much something I did because I thought, ‘Why not?’ And it ended with this amazing opportunity. Sometimes you just have to take a shot in the dark.”

Congratulations, Anisha!

Read more: tx.ag/MenezesAstronautScholar

Student lands dream opportunity through a shot in the dark - Engineering News Anisha Menezes was awarded the prestigious Astronaut Scholarship, an honor given to only 79 outstanding science, technology, engineering and math students across the nation this year.

Former students Kim ’83 and Robert Brown ’82 wanted to give back to students at the university where they met and fell in love.

Together, they have established the Kim E. ’83 and Robert Y. Brown III ’82 Computer Science Scholarship in the College of Engineering.

“A degree from Texas A&M prepares you for life way beyond just the technical aspects,” Robert said. “It taught us to critically analyze everything through an Aggie set of glasses.”

Read more about their story and their desire to give back: tx.ag/CSCEdonors

Observing Aggieland through optimism - Engineering News To former students Kim ’83 and Robert Brown ’82, remaining connected to Aggieland is far more than a gameday visit; it is a commitment to touching the lives of Aggie engineers through generous scholarships.

Have you heard of AI PCs? They are personal computers that can run AI applications locally — directly on the device — without connecting to the internet.

Check out this article where our very own Dr. Nitesh Saxena weighs in on security considerations when using AI PCs in healthcare settings: tx.ag/jrZRyH2