Turing Award Recipient Announced

Barbara Liskov, a professor at MIT, has received the 2008 A.M. Turing Award from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) for her work in the design of computer programming languages. Liskov is only the second woman to receive the Turing Award and she was the first woman to earn a computer science PhD. The A.M. Turing Award was first presented in 1966 and was named for British mathematician Alan M. Turing, is widely considered the “Nobel Prize in Computing.” It carries a $250,000 prize, with financial support from Intel Corporation and Google Inc.
A press release from MIT quoted Provost L. Rafael Reif saying, “Barbara Liskov pioneered some of the most important advances in fundamental computer science. Her exceptional achievements have leapt from the halls of academia to transform daily life around the world. Every time you exchange e-mail with a friend, check your bank statement online or run a Google search, you are riding the momentum of her research.”
The full citation for the A.M. Turing Award states:

Barbara Liskov has led important developments in computing by creating and implementing programming languages, operating systems, and innovative systems designs that have advanced the state of the art of data abstraction, modularity, fault tolerance, persistence, and distributed computing systems.
The Venus operating system was an early example of principled operating system design. The CLU programming language was one of the earliest and most complete programming languages based on modules formed from abstract data types and incorporating unique intertwining of both early and late binding mechanisms. ARGUS extended many of the CLU ideas to distributed programming, and incorporated the first versions of nested transactions to maintain predictable consistencies. Other advances include solutions elegantly combining theory and pragmatics in the areas of decentralized information flow, replicated storage and caching of persistent objects, and modular upgrading of distributed systems. Her contributions have been incorporated into the practice of programming, thereby influencing many of the most important systems used today: for programming, specification, systems design, and distributed architectures.

In addition to her research, Liskov is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and ACM, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and IEEE. She won the 1996 Achievement Award from the Society of Women Engineers and has served on a wide variety of interest groups and advisory committees.

 

CRA Wants You!

Forgive the CRA-centric content, but we’re looking to fill a new position here at CRA World Headquarters. Here’s the official announcement:

The Computing Research Association works to strengthen research and advanced education in the computing fields, expand opportunities for women and minorities, and improve public and policy maker understanding of the importance of computing and computing research in our society. CRA is a non-profit association of over 250 members.
CRA is seeking an Executive Assistant to perform a wide variety of administrative support duties from routine to complex. While the Executive Assistant will work with all other staff members, the employee will report directly to the Executive Director. Major duties include: monitoring grants to ensure timely processing of invoices and submission of reports; monitoring websites to ensure full and accurate information; processing and monitoring reimbursements for a wide range of activities; processing membership invoices and payments; organizing, scheduling and coordinating program activities, meetings and travel arrangements; serving as a point of contact for program participants and volunteers; gathering and maintaining program data and budget information; assisting with advertising/promotion of the various activities of the organization; monitoring staff benefits such as health care.
Job Requirements: progressive experience in an administrative position (non-profit/academic experience is a plus); excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures; excellent organization skills with attention to detail; excellent computer skills with experience using MS Office applications; ability to function as a team player; well organized and able to meet deadlines and work well under pressure; ability to work without direct supervision while performing at a high level.
The position requires someone with a proven track record in:
1) assuming responsibility;
2) taking the initiative;
3) following up on outstanding tasks;
4) demonstrating reliability;
5) performing tasks in a timely manner;and
6) taking ownership of responsibilities.
For further information about CRA, see our website www.cra.org.
To apply, send your resume to employment@cra.org. The position will fill when a suitable candidate is found.

CRA’s a great place to work with a friendly staff, a highly-engaged and prominent board, and an increasing presence in Washington. So, if you think this position sounds like a perfect fit for you or someone you know, please take a few minutes to respond or pass it along.

 

Google Talks: Tech Policy

Google hosted a town hall style panel discussion today at its Washington, DC office. The discussion was based on technology policy in 2009 with a new Administration and Congress but focused almost exclusively on broadband deployment and a smart electric grid. The panel had six speakers: Gigi Sohn (President, Public Knowledge), Jennifer Canty (CEO, Dyscern), Ben Scott (Policy Director, Free Press), Stephen Ezell (Senior Analyst, ITIF), Harry Wingo (Policy Counsel, Google), and Michael Oldak (Senior Director, Edison Electric Institute). Questions were taken from a moderator, from the audience, and from online submissions through Google Moderator.
The consensus seemed to be that broadband availability needs to improve throughout the country but that broadband adoption by consumers was also a large issue that needed to be tackled. Additionally, regulations need to be implemented to keep the Internet as an open system without false controls.
The other topic discussed was the need for a smart, efficient electricity infrastructure that uses alternative, renewable energy sources and that has the ability to regulate energy use during peak times.
The discussion was recorded and is supposed to be available on YouTube, however, it does not seem to have been posted yet. We’ll provide the link when it becomes available.