Given our evolving world that is now irrevocably instrumented and interconnected by computer networks, deeply embedded sensors, ever-developing user-centered devices and services, virtually infinite computing power, big data analyzers, and smart semi-autonomic decision making, there is a need to broaden our historical perspective of ‘computer science.’

Our view is that cyberspace artifacts (or hardware, software, data and their orchestrations) comprise the basic infrastructure needed to allow humans (and human assemblies including teams, organizations, communities, etc.) to work, develop and even play to their fullest potential. Such basic cyberspace artifacts would enable scientists, engineers and practitioners to research, create, and implement cognitive cyber-physical equivalents to real-world objects and environments. This will ultimately result in cognitive prosthetics and smart environments with new capabilities supporting and augmenting human capabilities. 

We surmise that, anchored in a commensurate perspective of “Computer and Information Sciences” embracing the world of cyberspace, the sciences, arts and humanities must be called upon and used synergistically to develop such new capabilities but with the human condition ever foremost.  Any solutions and tools that would emerge must recognize that “tools for tools sake do not serve the human naturally” and so the needs of human ontological imperatives must be in the vanguard of requirements as our new Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) program evolves, advances, and continues to contribute to intellectual growth.

The areas of concerns that are innately CIS must ultimately result from computer-based concepts, paradigms, methodologies, and utilities that generate useful, efficient, and usable products and services.  Such areas require deep understanding of the various ontological views of what it is to be human and the epistemological concerns in how humans most effectively acquire facts, information, knowledge, and develop wisdom.  We see a primitive exemplar in the IBM Watson. The new CIS should harness and empower extensions of human physical and intellectual abilities through the use of computational thinking, aspect computing (for example, secure computing, interactive computing, collaborative computing, mobile computing, etc.),  and the synergy of at least the following intellectual domains: communication, information storage and retrieval, and data analysis for a wide range of inter-linked arenas including but not limited to management science, mathematics, biological sciences,  chemistry, physics, engineering, communication (our ERH and modern languages), military science, political science, economics, international studies,  and social sciences.

Overlaying such breadth is the further need to research and address moral, ethical and leadership issues of how to manage conflicts such as the tension between privacy and security and between economic growth and environmental degradation now expanding into uncharted realms of human physical and cognitive spaces.