Congratulations to Dr. Tom Springer on his Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor of Engineering at the Fowler School of Engineering

Congratulations to Dr. Tom Springer on his tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Engineering at the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering.

Dr. Tom Springer received a B.S. in Computer Science from California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). He continued his studies at CSUF, receiving an M.S. in Computer Science. Dr. Springer then completed his Ph.D. in computer science at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 2015. 

From 1996 to 2018, Dr. Springer served as an Adjunct Faculty/Lecturer in Computer Science at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM). While growing his passion for teaching and mentoring students, Dr. Springer also worked as an Embedded Software Engineer for The Boeing Company from 1997 to 2019. At Boeing, Dr. Springer worked on numerous large-scale software projects for aerospace, military, and commercial applications.

Shortly afterward, Dr. Springer joined the Fowler School of Engineering as a tenure-track faculty member. Throughout his time at Chapman University, Dr. Springer taught topics on operating systems, networking, computer architecture, embedded systems, and mobile computing. Some of his research interests include embedded systems, real-time computing, cyber-physical systems, the internet of things (IoT), and cybersecurity. 

Dr. Tom Springer with his student researcher, Brandon Lee

“After over 20 years at Boeing as an embedded software engineer, I moved to academia to teach and mentor students. This promotion validates that choice, recognizing my work in education and research, allowing me to pursue long-term goals and connect academic work with real-world impact,” Dr. Springer said.

Dr. Springer strives to integrate industry experience into his lessons to prepare Fowler students for their postgraduate studies and careers. 

“As a tenure-track faculty member, my role is a balance of teaching, research, and service. I focus on helping students build both strong theoretical and practical skills. I also mentor undergraduate and graduate students, preparing them for careers in the industry,” he said.

After receiving tenure and promotion, Dr. Springer hopes to leverage his accreditations to expand opportunities for future undergraduate engineering students, including enhancing project-based learning and expanding student research initiatives. 

“With this promotion, I plan to increase opportunities for student hands-on learning and research, further integrate real-world, project-based work into my courses, and boost student involvement in research initiatives,” Dr. Springer said. 

Other initiatives Dr. Springer hopes to accomplish with his promotion and tenure include strengthening collaborations with faculty and pursuing new research directions to secure external funding. “My goal is to create meaningful learning experiences and contribute to innovation and growth at the Fowler School of Engineering,” he said.

Starting next academic year as an Associate Professor of Engineering, Dr. Springer will be at the forefront of teaching and advising the next generation of world-class engineers. 

Learn more about Dr. Springer’s Faculty Articles and Recent Research