Audrey Omar and Kevin Slator

Dr. Brian M. Slator worked at NDSU in the computer science department for over 20 years. During that time, he worked with and taught both undergraduate and graduate students. He was very student-centered and excelled in the classroom with his conversational style. He always directly involved interested students, who often found their names acknowledged in presentations and appearing as co-authors on scholarly publications and books that Dr. Slator wrote. According to his colleagues, he always wanted to know, understand, and appreciate those with whom he worked. He went out of his way to make sure that he fostered an environment that celebrated their unique abilities and would go out of his way to encourage and mentor those around him. He was open and honest, and encouraged his team to live up to their potential.

Dr. Slator was gifted in writing, which served him well in publishing and in grant writing. He supported many of his students with funds from the many educational grants that he won. He also won several local teaching awards, as well as the prestigious Ernest L. Boyer International Award for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology.

In 2007, he was called upon to serve as Department Head, which he did for ten years. Although he would often say that he would rather be a working professor, as Department Head he was widely viewed as fair, insightful, respectful, thoughtful, and principled. He initiated many nominations of faculty and students for awards, and many were successful.

Having two daughters, a wife, mother, and sister, Brian was very aware of the unequal gender breakdown in computer science. After speaking with the women in his life and in his department, he knew he had to narrow the gap. Dr. Slator made sure that female students had opportunities to succeed as computer science majors. Thus, it is fitting that the Dr. Brian Slator scholarships will provide funding for women pursuing computer science education at NDSU.

Dr. Brian M. Slator passed away in May of 2020. He was a man of many talents and gifts and will forever be missed by those who knew him.