02 Nov 2026

SANTA CLARA, Calif., November 2, 2026—School of Engineering Dean Kendra V. Sharp has appointed Russell (Russ) Webb, a veteran AI researcher and Silicon Valley engineer, as the Cunningham Shoquist Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Santa Clara University. In this role, Webb will advance the University’s research enterprise across artificial intelligence and machine learning and teach undergraduate and graduate students.

As the launch of Santa Clara’s fourth Center of Distinction—the Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential—continues to move forward, Webb will also support the interdisciplinary hub and its mission to convene students, staff, faculty, alumni, and industry partners to collaborate, contemplate, design, and deploy AI technologies that will benefit society and serve humanity.

“Santa Clara University continues to build on its strengths in applied AI research and education, combining technical expertise with our human-centered Jesuit values and immersion in Silicon Valley,” Sharp said. “Russ Webb has spent three decades turning advances in AI into working technology and preparing the next generation of leaders to harness these powerful systems for the betterment of society. Santa Clara students will benefit enormously from his expertise and mentorship.”

A 30-year wide-ranging career

A noted researcher and engineer, his career spans artificial intelligence, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), mobile operating systems, neuroscience, and digital photography. Webb has co-authored more than 40 papers, including a CVPR 2017 Best Paper Award winner—one of the highest honors given at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR)—the world’s premier annual computer vision conference. He is a named inventor on 48 issued patents.

At Apple, Webb began by developing the automatic enhancement and white-balance algorithms for the company’s photography software. He built and led two machine learning research teams at Apple. In 2017, he created and led the company’s research publication process, helping researchers across Apple share their work and advance their fields. His research focuses on optimization, model architecture, machine learning theory, controlled experimentation, and discrete diffusion.

Prior to Apple, Webb was a faculty member in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand from 2004 to 2010, where he held the rank of senior lecturer above the bar, a permanent position comparable to a tenured associate professor in the United States. Earlier, he was a senior research scientist and technical lead at Palm, Inc.

“I am excited to join Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering and the Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential. Thoughtful and human-centered development of AI is critical for it to best serve people and society,” said Webb. “Santa Clara’s approach to teaching, learning, and research in the field looks beyond the technology itself to AI’s capabilities and influence across disciplines and applications. I am eager to explore these complex issues, ideas, and opportunities alongside the University’s students and faculty and expand our collective knowledge and capabilities in this moment of transformation.”

At Santa Clara, Webb will teach computer science and machine learning courses and build a research program centered on efficient, understandable AI models. He will also help lead the Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential, working with colleagues across campus to shape the strategic direction of applied AI research and education at Santa Clara and to deepen the University’s ties to Silicon Valley’s AI community.

Webb holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science with honors in mathematics and physics from the University of Georgia.

Shaped by a childhood that blended hands-on farming with creative university life, Webb is driven by a love of making. His passion projects include translations of classical texts for modern readers, novel visualizations, furniture, board games, math puzzles, poetry, and pottery.

About the Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential

The Cunningham Shoquist Center for Applied AI and Human Potential is a university-wide, interdisciplinary hub housed in the School of Engineering at Santa Clara University. It aims to develop and apply AI in ways shaped by Santa Clara’s humanistic, Jesuit values, benefiting humanity and the world. The Cunningham Shoquist Center was established in April 2026 through a gift from alumna Debora Shoquist ’76, an NVIDIA executive vice president. The gift honors the supportive role of her sister, G. Lee Cunningham, M.A. ’73.

About Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering

Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering, established in 1912, inspires and develops engineering leaders with competence, conscience, and compassion—entrepreneurial thinkers who will build a more just, humane, and sustainable world. Offering a range of degree programs and situated in Silicon Valley, the School serves as a vibrant hub for research, innovation, and collaboration with industry leaders.