Dr. Geetha Thamilarasu appointed chair of the Department of Computing & Software Systems
Dr. Geetha Thamilarasu, associate professor in the Department of Computing & Software Systems, has dedicated her career to student success, program development and advancing cybersecurity education. Now, she is bringing that experience to a new role as chair of the department, where she will serve through June 2029.
Building programs and partnerships
Thamilarasu joined UW Bothell in 2013, drawn to the campus for its combination of small class sizes and strong emphasis on undergraduate research.
“I felt like I would be able to genuinely make a difference at UW Bothell because these aspects create opportunities for meaningful relationships with students,” she said.
She was also excited to be a part of the newly formed Cybersecurity Engineering master’s program.
“There was an opportunity not only to teach in the program, but also to help build, grow and shape it,” she said. “Being part of that early stage and contributing to the development of the program has been particularly meaningful to me.”
Aside teaching, Thamilarasu served as the director of cybersecurity initiatives, where she worked on developing the charter proposal for a Washington Cybersecurity Institute, an initiative focused on strengthening cybersecurity education, research and workforce development across the state.
She currently serves as a National Security Agency (NSA) point of contact for the CAE-R and CAE-CD designations, helping coordinate and support the School of STEM’s efforts around these national cybersecurity recognitions in education and research.
Serving the campus community
Thamilarasu has been an engaged faculty member on campus serving as chair and member of the STEM Council on DEIJ, as well as a member of the Faculty Council on Gender Equity and Justice and the Faculty Council on Race Equity and Justice. Within the department, she has been a member of several committees and recently served as chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
As chair of the department, Thamilarasu looks forward to strengthening programs, supporting faculty, and creating more opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning, research and industry experiences.
Preparing students for an AI-drive future
One of her major focus areas is understanding and embracing the rapidly evolving role of AI in teaching and research.
“AI is already changing how we teach, learn and conduct research, and I believe our department has an important role to play in helping students use these technologies thoughtfully, responsibly and effectively,” she said. “I’d like to see us continue to explore innovative ways to integrate AI into our curriculum while also ensuring that students develop the foundational knowledge, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills they need to thrive in an AI-driven world.”
At the same time, Thamilarasu is equally excited about the opportunities AI creates for research.
“It can open new directions for interdisciplinary collaboration and give faculty and students new tools to tackle challenging problems,” she added. “I hope to encourage research that explores not only how we can use AI, but also how we can address important questions around its security, privacy, reliability and societal impact.”
Leading the department forward
In this new leadership position, Thamilarasu is eager to make a difference.
“Ultimately, I’m looking forward to working with our faculty, staff and students to build on the department’s strengths and create a culture where we’re willing to experiment, learn and adapt,” she said.
Central to her vision is ensuring the department continues to grow while creating meaningful opportunities for students, supporting faculty and strengthening academic programs.
“We’re in a particularly exciting time for computing and cybersecurity, and I’m excited about helping our department prepare our students to be not just users of these technologies, but thoughtful innovators and leaders in the field.”