Junhua Ding
Dean
School of Computing
A Message from Dean Ding
“The School of Computing’s momentum is a result of collective dedication, and I see my role as one of service and support. I am eager to listen, learn from the experiences of our faculty, staff, students and partners, and work together as we shape the School’s next chapter.
What excites me most is the opportunity to build a School of Computing that serves Wyoming, strengthens the University and earns national recognition for interdisciplinary education, research and discovery.”
— Dr. Junhua Ding
A Vision for the School of Computing
Dr. Ding envisions a School of Computing where computing meets the real challenges of Wyoming and the region—and where that work earns national recognition. His vision is built around education excellence, a strong research identity, service to Wyoming and a culture of collaboration.
Education Excellence
Leading Where Wyoming Leads
Dr. Ding sees Wyoming’s scale, communities, industries and research infrastructure as competitive advantages.
The state provides distinctive opportunities to advance:
- Smart agriculture
- Energy and environmental systems
- Rural health care
- Wildfire detection and response
- Natural resource management
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial intelligence
- High-performance computing
UW’s resources, including the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, the Advanced Research Computing Center and new artificial intelligence infrastructure—create opportunities for research with both statewide relevance and national impact.
“Not despite being in Wyoming—because of it,” Dr. Junhua Ding, Dean of the School of Computing.
An Experienced Academic Builder
At the University of North Texas, Dr. Ding led the growth of the Department of Data Science from an emerging graduate program into a comprehensive academic department.
His leadership experience includes:
- Developing bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs
- Leading curriculum and program growth
- Recruiting faculty, staff and students
- Managing budgets, laboratories and academic operations
- Supporting interdisciplinary research
- Building industry and community partnerships
- Securing research funding and philanthropic support
- Establishing student recruitment and transfer pathways
Impact on the University of North Texas
Research Vision
Dr. Ding’s research vision emphasizes areas where UW’s expertise, infrastructure and location can create meaningful impact.
Dr. Ding’s research vision emphasizes areas where UW’s expertise, infrastructure and location can create meaningful impact.
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Building a Culture That Lasts
Dr. Ding describes his leadership approach as grounded in fairness, accountability and empathy. He believes every person should understand that their contribution matters and that they have opportunities to grow as the School grows.
Faculty
Transparent processes, shared governance, mentoring, career development and support for teaching and research.
A School for All of Wyoming
Dr. Ding’s vision extends beyond the UW campus. He sees strong partnerships as essential to broadening access, strengthening Wyoming’s workforce and translating research into public impact.
Potential areas of focus include:
Potential areas of focus include:
Community College Pathways
Strengthening pathways from Wyoming’s eight community colleges into UW computing degree programs.
K–12 Engagement
Expanding camps, teacher programs, research experiences and outreach that introduce rural students to computing.
Wyoming Workforce Development
Preparing graduates for Wyoming employers, supporting talent retention and helping working professionals gain new computing skills.
Industry and Community Partnerships
Developing research collaborations, professional education, entrepreneurship initiatives and technology-transfer opportunities.
Lifelong Learning
Offering flexible certificates, microcredentials, online programs and stackable credentials for working professionals and career changers.
- Ph.D., Computer Science, Florida International University, Miami, FL April 2004
- M.S., Computer Science, Florida International University, Miami, FL July 2000
- M.Eng., Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China July 1997
- B.S., Computer Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China July 1994
- Diploma, Geochemistry (minor in Marketing), Nanjing School of Geology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China July 1990
- Dean, School of Computing, University of Wyoming
- Reinburg Endowed Professor, University of North Texas
- Founding Chair, Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science, University of North Texas
- Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Cybersecurity
- Software Engineering
- Health Informatics
- Interdisciplinary Computing
Building Wyoming’s Computing Future—Together
Dr. Junhua Ding is the inaugural Dean of the University of Wyoming School of Computing. He brings extensive experience in computing, data science, interdisciplinary collaboration, academic leadership, research development and partnership building.
Before joining UW, Ding served as the Reinburg Endowed Professor and founding chair of the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science at the University of North Texas. There, he helped transform a small graduate program into a comprehensive department offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
Under his leadership, the department grew from four students to more than 550 students, including 49 doctoral students. It was recognized as the University of North Texas Outstanding Department in 2025, and its master’s program was ranked among the nation’s leading data science programs.
Ding was selected to lead UW’s School of Computing following a highly competitive national search. His experience building programs, supporting students, strengthening research and developing interdisciplinary partnerships positions him to guide the School into its next chapter.
What We Will Build Together
“Wyoming’s School of Computing is the place where computing meets the real challenges of this state and this region, and where that work earns national recognition,” Dr. Junhua Ding, Dean of the School of Computing.
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.