June 2, 2006
Computer science building named in honor of former provost, dean
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The building will be named Felix Haas Hall in honor of Haas, the Arthur G. Hansen Professor Emeritus of Mathematics who became head of the Division of Mathematical Sciences in 1961 and went on to become the first dean of the School of Science.
Haas served as the School of Science's dean from 1962-74 when it became separate from the School of Humanities, Social Science and Education. He also served as Purdue's provost from 1974-86. Haas still maintains an office in the Mathematical Sciences Building, and, until last year, he regularly taught math courses at Purdue.
"Dr. Haas is a brilliant mathematician and a great teacher," said Jeffrey Vitter, the Frederick Hovde Dean of the College of Science. "Naming the Computer Science Building in his honor is a fitting tribute to a man who has given many decades of invaluable service to Purdue."
When Haas came to Purdue, the Division of Mathematical Sciences consisted of the mathematics department and an organization called the statistical laboratory, which was in charge of the university's data processing. Haas soon recommended that the division be reorganized to contain three teaching departments: computer science, mathematics and statistics, as well as two service organizations, the statistical laboratory and the newly created Purdue Computing Center.
As of fall 2005, there were 522 undergraduates and 152 graduate students enrolled in the computer sciences department.
Haas was born in Austria, left his homeland at age 17 and then found work in a garment factory and a smelting factory. From 1943-46, he served in the U.S. Army field artillery. He entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1946 and went on to receive his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees there.
In 1952 he began teaching at Princeton University, moving next to Wayne State University, and then to Purdue in 1961, where he was hired as head of the Division of Mathematical Sciences.
"The fact that Purdue wanted to name a building after me came as quite a surprise, but I am very much honored by this decision," Haas said.
Vitter said that in addition to honoring Haas for his contributions, the building's name will distinguish it from the new $20 million Lawson Computer Science Building, which is set to open this summer.
The new building is named for alumnus H. Richard Lawson and his wife, Patricia A. Lawson. The facility will be home to classrooms, instructional laboratories, research laboratories and meeting rooms and also will provide space for faculty, teaching assistants and research assistants.
Felix Haas Hall will continue to be used by the computer sciences department until the second phase of the Lawson Building is completed. The majority of the department's research labs will be located in Haas Hall, as well as some space for visitors, instructional labs and offices.
The building also will be used for other purposes, such as housing offices for science faculty and some interdisciplinary centers.
The name of the current computer science building was changed once before, from the Memorial Gymnasium to the Computer Science Building, in 1985 when the building was remodeled for the computer sciences department.
The three-story building was originally constructed in 1909. It was built in memory of 17 Purdue students, football players and alumni who were killed in a 1903 train wreck on their way to a Purdue-Indiana University football game in Indianapolis.
Vitter said the building's historical marker that tells the story and memorializes those lost in the accident will remain in place at Haas Hall.
Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu
Sources: Felix Haas, haas@mathematics.purdue.edu
Jeffrey Vitter, (765) 494-1730, jsv@purdue.edu
Susanne Hambrusch, head of the Department of Computer Sciences, (765) 494-1831, susanne.e.hambrusch.1@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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