The realm of computer science has no shortage of complex topics to tackle, but Josiah Tripp, a senior computer science major from Burnips, Michigan, is no stranger to finding solutions.
He will take his education and talents to the next level, as he heads to graduate school after his May 2 graduation from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. He graduated summa cum laude with a grade-point average of 3.8 to 4.0.
Tripp’s passion for computer science is fueled by a strong interest in technology and mathematics. Through his coursework, Tripp has been exposed to complex problems in those areas, but close instruction and open discussion with his faculty at UT Martin have helped him learn from these experiences.
“Having the ability to ask questions and openly discuss with instructional faculty is something I believe to be very important in education,” Tripp said. “It makes instruction less one-sided and has certainly helped me in my courses.”
Tripp was attracted to UT Martin’s computer science program because of the opportunity for smaller class sizes and more affordable tuition, even for an out-of-state student. His older brother, Joshua Tripp, was already a student at UT Martin.
“Having a family member here made it easier to move far away from home,” he said. “Attending UT Martin was a more affordable option than universities near my home.”
Now that he has graduated, Tripp intends to further his education in computer science at the University of Texas at Dallas in pursuit of his Ph.D. He aspires to teach computer science at the collegiate level, an interest that has stemmed from his experience with helping his peers tackle academic challenges.
During his time at UT Martin, he’s worked for the university as a supplemental instructor and as an academic coach, helping others learn from complex problems.
“Being able to help others succeed is rewarding,” he said. “Oftentimes, explaining a topic gives a better understanding of it.”
Tripp also worked in the department of information technology at the Discovery Park of America in Union City. In this position, He was able to apply the skills he learned in the classroom.During his undergraduate experience, Tripp also worked on two separate major research projects, both pertaining to image processing.
In summer 2025, he worked with faculty at Georgia State University in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, researching machine-learning-based facial expression recognition.
In fall 2025, Tripp worked in collaboration with Dr. Robert Lowe of the UT Martin Department of Computer Science on his senior design project, exploring data pre-processing methods for recognizing hand-drawn Kanji characters using graph-based representations.
In graduate school, Tripp intends to broaden the scope of his research to include geometric algorithms, working in collaboration with UT Dallas faculty.
“These algorithms are used to solve complex problems in geometry and are important for areas such as computer graphics and robotics,” he said.
His research experience and coursework have deepened his knowledge of the field, but Tripp references the invaluable connections he’s made at UT Martin as the most rewarding part of his education. Guidance from professors outside of the classroom regarding research and graduate school helped him immensely throughout his academic journey.
For more information about UT Martin and its computer science program, visit www.utm.edu or call 1-800-829-UTM1 (-8861).
PHOTO: Josiah Tripp, who graduated summa cum laude from UT Martin on May 2 with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, wants to become a computer science professor.
