Jeffrey Chiampi has been hired as associate teaching professor of computer science and computer science program coordinator at Penn State Hazleton.
HAZLETON, Pa. — Jeffrey Chiampi has been hired as associate teaching professor of computer science and computer science program coordinator at Penn State Hazleton.
Chiampi will teach courses and oversee all aspects of the program at the campus, serving as the point of contact for prospective and current Penn State Hazleton students interested in exploring computer science as a major and a resource for students majoring in computer science. His courses will also be available remotely to students in a computer science consortium that includes Penn State Brandywine and Penn State Beaver.
“Jeffrey’s track record of success in teaching, coupled with his industry experience and enthusiasm, make him the ideal candidate to lead the computer science bachelor’s degree program at Penn State Hazleton,” Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Elizabeth J. Wright said. “Computer science is a degree that we’re very proud to offer given its value in today’s world, and we’re confident Jeffrey will help prepare our students to enter and excel in the field.”
Chiampi said he is eager to begin working with students who he will be able to teach, advise, mentor and ultimately watch graduate, as they learn and grow during the four-year program.
"It’ll be rewarding to meet a first-year student at orientation, not knowing any computer science, watch them grow in our program, and then be able to call their name at graduation,” he said.
Chiampi, who spent the previous 10 years as a faculty member at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, said he draws on his expertise and industry experience to provide a learning experience that puts problems into real-world contexts, a teaching style valued by his former students.
“Jeffrey Chiampi was hands down the best professor that I had throughout my college career and was instrumental in getting to the place where I am now,” said Donovan Gaffney, a former student of Chiampi’s at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. “His teaching style is more hands-on, which is great because it leads to a more engaged class that is not afraid to ask questions as they arise. Because of this, both my peers and I were able to learn computer science topics quickly.”
Joe Fioti, another former student, added, “In the classroom, he is able to connect well with students to understand their strengths and struggles, and he uses that to give more personalized attention to groups of different skill levels.”
Gaffney and Fioti also served as research assistants under Chiampi and collaborated on research that was published in the Journal of Surveying Engineering and the International Journal of Geo-Information.
At Penn State Hazleton, Chiampi will lead one of the campus’ newest bachelor’s degree programs. Launched in 2021, the bachelor of science in computer science degree program features the study of computation principles and foundations, including implementation, analysis, and practical use.
Its curriculum provides students with the skills to design, develop, evaluate and analyze software solutions to a wide spectrum of computational problems and prepares them to be leaders in a computer science field that continues to grow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer science jobs are projected to increase 21% through 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of Chiampi’s former students have already found success working in the field, including ones who have gone on to work for Google and Intel, Chiampi said. Others hold roles as coders, programmers and data analysts, or have gone on to continue their education in graduate school.
Chiampi became an adjunct instructor at Penn State Wilkes-Barre in 2013 and was promoted to lecturer of computer science and mathematics the following year, a title he held until promotion to assistant teaching professor of engineering in 2020. He was promoted to associate teaching professor of computer science in 2023.
Prior to working in higher education, Chiampi held several roles at Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 in Kingston, including programmer analyst, technology coordinator and systems and network administrator.
