Chief Technologist - Tom Way, Ph.D.
Dr. Tom Way is an Associate Professor of Computing Sciences at Villanova. His research for the past 20 years in academia encompasses machine learning, natural language processing, and compiler optimization, and was instrumental in developing automated text-messaging intervention technology for a number of successful studies. As principal investigator and program director of the $4.6 million Applied Research for Computing Enterprise Services Project, he led a team of 20 faculty and students and 10 industry partners in collaborative, enterprise-scale network modeling and simulation research for the United States Air Force. In addition to research, he is the Chair of the Villanova Faculty Congress, the founder of Rephactor.com, a highly-interactive, online textbook for teaching Computer Science, and a sought after industry consultant. He teaches a variety of courses for majors and non-majors, focusing on software engineering, machine evolution and learning, compiler construction, and Python and Java programming. He came to academia after a 10 year career in Hollywood as a writer, producer, radio personality and professional magician, so he views the goal of technology as enabling more accessible, beneficial, and enjoyable human interaction.