ACM Awards Recognize Innovators in Computer Science Who Solve Real World Problems
ACM Awards
ACM recognizes excellence through its eminent series of awards for outstanding technical and professional achievements and contributions in computer science and information technology.
2008 ACM Awards and Recipients
The ACM A.M Turing Award – Barbara Liskov
The ACM - Infosys Foundation Award in the Computing Sciences - Jon Kleinberg
The Paris Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award – Corinna Cortes and Vladimir Vapnik
The Software System Award – Gamma Parallel Database System
The ACM/AAAI Allen Newell Award – Barbara Grosz and Joseph Y. Halpern
The Grace Murray Hopper Award – Dawson Engler
The Karl V. Karlstom Outstanding Educator – John Hopcroft
The 2009-2010 Athena Lecturer Award – Susan Eggers
The Distinguished Service Award – Telle Whitney
The Outstanding Contribution Award – Wayne Graves and Bernard Rous
The Doctoral Dissertation Award - Constantinos Daskalakis
2009 ACM Award
The Eckert-Mauchly Award - Joel Emer
Complete list of 2008 ACM Awards Recipients
2008 ACM Technical Awards and Recipients – Detail
The Paris Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award - Corinna Cortes and Vladimir Vapnik
For their revolutionary development of a highly effective algorithm known as Support Vector Machines (SVM), a set of related supervised learning methods used for data classification and regression common in the field of artificial intelligence. As a result of this work, SVM is one of the most frequently used algorithms in machine learning, which is used in medical diagnosis, weather forecasting, and intrusion detection among many other practical applications.
Cortes is the Head of Google Research, NY, where she works on a broad range of theoretical and applied large-scale machine learning problems. Vapnik is professor of Computer Science and Statistics at Royal Holloway, University of London, and is with NEC Laboratories in Princeton, NJ.
The Kanellakis Award honors specific theoretical accomplishments that significantly affect the practice of computing.
The ACM - Infosys Foundation Award in the Computing Sciences - Jon Kleinberg
For his contributions to the science of networks and the World Wide Web, which combine deep social insights and mathematical reasoning. Dr. Kleinberg developed models that document how information is organized on the Web, how it spreads through large social networks, and how these networks are structured to create the small world phenomenon known as "six degrees of separation."
His use of mathematical models to illuminate search and social networking tools that underpin today's social structure has created interest in computing from people not formerly drawn to this field.
The ACM - Infosys Foundation Award recognizes personal contributions by young scientists and system developers whose innovative work exemplifies the greatest achievements in the discipline.
The Software System Award - Gamma Parallel Database System
For this prototype parallel relational database system, which was the first parallel database management system (DBMS) to publish results demonstrating the ability to run the same query with the same performance on more and more data by simply adding hardware nodes. The Gamma project had a profound impact on the database field by demonstrating that scalable performance could be achieved without the use of specialized hardware.
Developed by David J. DeWitt, Microsoft/University of Wisconsin-Madison (Emeritus); Robert Gerber of Microsoft; Murali M. Krishna of Hewlett Packard; Donovan A. Schneider of Yahoo!; Shahram Ghandeharizadeh of the University of Southern California; Goetz Graefe of Hewlett Packard; Michael Heytens of RGM Advisors; Hui-I Hsiao of IBM; Jeffrey F. Naughton of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Anoop Sharma of Hewlett Packard.
The Software System Award is given to an institution or individual(s) recognized for developing software systems that have had a lasting influence, reflected in contributions to concepts and/or commercial acceptance.
The ACM/AAAI Allen Newell Award - Barbara Grosz and Joseph Y. Halpern
Grosz, Higgins Professor of Natural Sciences, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Dean, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, was recognized for her pioneering research in natural language processing, and her leadership in the artificial intelligence field. This work is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on theories and results from economics, philosophy, psychology and core computer science.
Halpern, a Cornell University professor of computer science, was honored for fundamental advances in reasoning about knowledge, belief, and uncertainty. His research has led to groundbreaking applications in artificial intelligence, computer science, game theory, economics, and the philosophy of science.
The Newell Award recognizes career contributions that have breadth within computer science, or that bridge computer science and other disciplines.
The Grace Murray Hopper Award - Dawson Engler
For groundbreaking research on automated program checking and finding bugs in complex computer software. Engler, an associate professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, developed powerful tools and techniques used in practical program analysis to find errors in computer software.
The Grace Murray Hopper Award recognizes the outstanding young computer professional of the year.
The Karl V. Karlstom Outstanding Educator - John Hopcroft
For his vision and impact on computer science as a prolific author of field-defining texts on theory and algorithms. Hopcroft, professor of Engineering and Applied Mathematics at Cornell University, also advised Ph.D. students who are now contributing greatly to the field. He has also been recognized for influential leadership in computer science research and education at the national and international level.
The Karl V. Karlstom Outstanding Educator Award is presented annually to an outstanding educator who is appointed to a recognized educational baccalaureate institution.
The 2009-2010 Athena Lecturer Award - Susan Eggers
For her work on computer architecture and experimental performance analysis, which has led to the development of Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), the first commercially viable multithreaded architecture. This technique improves the overall efficiency of certain processors known as superscalar and has been adopted by Intel, IBM, Sun and others.
The Athena Lecturer Award, given by ACM-W, recognizes women researchers who have made fundamental contributions to computer science. The award includes an honorarium provided by Google, Inc.
The Distinguished Service Award - Telle Whitney
For her profound impact on the participation of women in computing. Whitney, President and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI), co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, which has grown into an annual event. Whitney took over the leadership of the Institute for Women and Technology in 2003, when its founder Anita Borg stepped aside due to declining health, and renamed it to honor Borg’s creativity and passion for advancing the role of women in technology.
The Distinguished Service Award is given for significant and valuable service to the computing community at large.
The Outstanding Contribution Award - Wayne Graves and Bernard Rous
For their pivotal roles in making the ACM Digital Library and its associated Guide to Computing Literature among the most complete and reliable sources of computing research in the world.
Graves, ACM Director of Information Systems, has led the design, implementation, and evolution of the ACM Digital Library and Guide over the past 10 years. He was cited for his technical leadership and initiative in evaluating, engaging, and shaping the latest technologies to ensure that the DL satisfies the growing demands of ACM members for a resource to organize, store, and use this massive digital collection.
Rous, ACM Deputy Director of Publications and Electronic Publishing Program Director, initiated the first prototype ACM Digital Library. Working with the broader publishing community, he oversaw the DL’s ability to reflect the best thinking in defining a digital collection of the computing literature.
The Outstanding Contribution Award is presented annually to up to three individuals who have provided significant and valuable service to ACM.
The Doctoral Dissertation Award - Constantinos Daskalakis
For his dissertation "The Complexity of Nash Equilibria," which provides a novel, algorithmic perspective on Game Theory and the concept of the Nash equilibrium. Daskalakis's dissertation examines whether rational, self-interested individuals can arrive, through their interactions, at a state where no single one of them would be better off switching strategies unless others did so as well.
Daskalakis, who was nominated by the University of California Berkeley, is a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research New England.
The Doctoral Dissertation Award is presented annually to the author(s) of the best doctoral dissertation(s) in computer science and engineering.
The 2009 Eckert-Mauchly Award - Joel Emer
For pioneering contributions to performance analysis, modeling methodologies, and design innovations in several significant industry microprocessors. Emer developed quantitative methods including measurement of real machines, analytical modeling, and simulation techniques that are now widely employed to evaluate the performance of complex computer processors. He was also cited for his ability to bridge the gaps that often mark research and development as well as academia and industry.
The Eckert-Mauchly Award is given for contributions to computer and digital systems architecture, and is co-sponsored by ACM and IEEE-CS.
Read the May 14, 2009 Awards Press Release
Read the April 28, 2009 Awards Press Release
Read the ACM April 14, 2009 Awards Press Release
Read the ACM March 31, 2009 Awards Press Release
Read the ACM March 17, 2009 Awards Press Release
Read the ACM March 10, 2009 Turing Award Press Release
Visit the ACM Awards Site
About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field’s challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession’s collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
