Appalachian State University Department of Computer Science

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Professor Kenneth Jacker on April 6, 2026.

Professor Jacker was a highly esteemed member of the Department of Computer Science, where he served on the faculty from 1979 until his retirement in 2010. Known affectionately to his students as "The Wizard," he possessed a deep and extensive knowledge of computer systems.

His teaching legacy includes a wide array of computer systems courses such as Introduction to Computer Systems, Computer Systems I, Computer Systems II, Networking, Operating Systems, and Realtime. Professor Jacker made a lasting impact by creating the SPECI project, a defining and memorable rite of passage for Computer Science students. His excellence in the classroom earned him a place in the College of Arts & Sciences Academy of Outstanding Teachers.

Professor Jacker’s unique website can still be viewed here: https://cs.appstate.edu/khj/

Today's the Day! AppState Giving Day!!
Please help us help our amazing faculty and students. This recent news article describes two amazing students and the amazing AI projects they are working on.

Your gift today goes even farther because of these gift matches. THANK YOU!

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 will donate $16,000 to the CS AI Advancement Fund. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/computerscience

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 and Michael Crawford '14 '17 will donate $6,500 to the CS Alumni Scholarship. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/csalumni



https://cas.appstate.edu/news/app-state-students-harness-artificial-intelligence-fight-glaucoma

Giving Day is tomorrow (but gifts today count too!)
Would you help one of our newest faculty members, Dr. Yeganeh Madaddi, grow her robotics lab by donating to our AI Advancement Fund? In addition to modern Robotics courses, Dr. Madaddi is doing collaborative research on glaucoma diagnosis and autism treatment.

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 will donate $16,000 to the CS AI Advancement Fund. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/computerscience

Please, help more students have a chance at moments like this!

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 and Michael Crawford '14 '17 will donate $6,500 to the CS Alumni Scholarship. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/csalumni

Support the next generation of creators, problem‑solvers, and technology leaders by giving to the Appalachian State University Department of Computer Science (CS) during Appalachian State Giving Day!

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 will donate $16,000 to the CS AI Advancement Fund. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/computerscience

✨ When 10 alumni and donors give to CS, Tommy Guy '07 and Michael Crawford '14 '17 will donate $6,500 to the CS Alumni Scholarship. Give now: givingday.appstate.edu/csalumni

Congratulations to our own Shane Miller! 2025 College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Staff award!!

Dr. T accolades are always well-deserved!

Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, the Lowe’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the Appalachian State University Department of Computer Science, is the recipient of this year's Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity.

Since joining App State in 2000, Dr. Tashakkori has established interdisciplinary collaborations and research and brought over $10 million in grant funds to the university, which have created multiple scholarship programs benefiting App State students. He is the author of nearly 70 scholarly publications, and he established the Computer Science Visual and Image Processing Lab at App State, where he and his research team created an innovative tool to remotely monitor beehive health.

Tashakkori and fellow faculty members presented their work at the seventh annual Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian (RECAPP) event on Sept. 19.

Read the RECAPP recap by Bret Yager: today.appstate.edu/2025/09/28/recapp

Impressive work happening!

Congratulations to Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, the recipient of the 2025 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity!

Dr. Tashakkori is the Lowe’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the Appalachian State University Department of Computer Science. He joined the department as an assistant professor in 2000 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. He served as department chair from 2017 to 2023.

Since joining App State, he has established interdisciplinary collaborations and research, engaging both colleagues and students. Tashakkori has created and taught several computer science courses and mentored more than 200 graduate and undergraduate students. Additionally, Tashakkori has presented at local, regional, national and international conferences and authored nearly 70 scholarly publications.

One nominator wrote that Tashakkori’s “commitment to mentoring and graduating students is unmatched,” and “his ability to generate innovative research ideas and secure external funding is absolutely remarkable.”

Last spring, Tashakkori and his research team were awarded a $641,951 grant from NCInnovation to support commercializing parts of the Beemon Hive Monitoring System — an innovative tool for decreasing honeybee die-off and increasing hive production.

📸: Chancellor Heather Norris and Dr. Tashakkori at the Awards of Distinction ceremony on April 24. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Congratulations to our graduates! Onward!