Brighton Resident Appointed Associate Dean of RIT’s B. Thomas Golisano College

A veteran educator and administrator at Rochester Institute of Technology has been appointed associate dean of the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences—one of the largest comprehensive computing colleges in the nation.

Edith Lawson assumed the new role on July 1. Lawson previously served as chair of RIT’s information technology department for eight years. During that time, the undergraduate program grew from 234 students to around 1,200. The graduate program, which started in 1995, has expanded to 500 students. The curriculum blossomed from an advanced concentration to a comprehensive set of programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Earlier this year, Lawson was named IT Woman of the Year by the Association for Women in Computing. She is also one of the founding members and executive chair of the Special Interest Group for Information Technology Educators, the new IT professional society of the Association for Computing Machinery. The organization plays a critical role in developing the accreditation and standards for IT programs.

“Eydie brings experience, expertise and insights to her new leadership role,” states Jorge Díaz-Herrera, GCCIS dean. “Her efforts are critical in continuing our leadership role as providers of comprehensive computing education.”

After receiving a BS degree in economics from Wisconsin State University, Lawson earned an MS in computer science and an MS in business from RIT.

Lawson is a resident of Brighton, N.Y.