1957-1967: The Decade of Decision

In 1957, the Department of Experimental Statistics in the School of Agriculture, later to be known as the University of Georgia Computer Center, began operations in the Annex of the Agricultural Extension Building with a 602A Punch Card Calculator (programmed by plugging wires into a plug board) and a staff of two. At that time, the main purpose for the computing equipment was to analyze data collected by the College Experiment Station.

Dr. James L. Carmon in the Animal Husbandry Department at the University of Georgia became Head of the Department of Experimental Statistics and Director of the Computer Center.

HIGHLIGHTS: Center moves to Lumpkin House, 1960; First purchased computer (IBM 1620), 1962; Around-the-clock operations, 1965; NASA'S Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC) started, 1966.