Chris Stephenson

Digital Library

ACM Distinguished Member

USA - 2018

Press Release

Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award

USA - 2018

citation

For advancing K-12 CS education by founding and developing the Computer Science Teachers Association and incorporating its mission and membership into the ACM professional community.

Dr. Chris Stephenson has expanded the definition of the professional computing community to include K-12 computer science (CS) teachers and education partners, supporting ACM's mission to increase the diversity and perspectives of the community. Chris's work in architecting, founding and nurturing the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) in partnership with ACM into a professional international organization with more than 22,000 members dedicated to supporting teachers and pursuing excellence in K-12 CS education is widely recognized. Her scholarly research contributions, including work on computational thinking in K-12 education, the inaugural CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and the Running on Empty and Bugs in the System reports, have led to projects, initiatives and policy changes that have deeply and positively impacted K-12 education and educators globally.

With great foresight, Chris recognized long ago that the field of computing extended beyond those with academic degrees in computer science and fostered inclusivity via ACM. Chris has been a tireless and effective community builder. As an outstanding leader and advocate for CS education, she identified the need for, supported, and promoted the development of a robust and multi-faceted community supporting computer science education. Her unique ability to engage academics, industry professionals, policy makers, and K-12 teachers and administrators in a positive and productive dialog has advanced computer science education around the world and expanded the definition of what it is to be a computing professional. The impact of including teachers, education partners, and corporate philanthropy organizations in ACM has been far-reaching, especially as computing has become increasingly ubiquitous across industries and "hybrid" careers requiring computer science skills and business domain expertise have emerged.

Press Release

ACM Presidential Award

USA - 2016

citation

A true visionary and teaching advocate who spirited ACMs lifelong commitment to computer science education, recognizing the need to introduce CS to young students taught by educators with the tools and training to inspire future generations to the wonders of computing.

ACM, teachers, and students worldwide are indebted to Chris Stephenson for her landmark work in creating an international organization dedicated to supporting teachers and pursuing excellence in CS education for K-12 students. As the architect and first executive director of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), Chris led the charge that changed the way CS education is appreciated at the K-12 level. Under her astute, decade-long leadership, CSTA grew to over 20,000 strong, culminating in projects and initiatives that deeply impacted K-12 education and educators around the world. Along the way, she motivated corporate sponsors and educational partners to join the cause. Teachers today have access to unprecedented opportunities for professional development thanks to the efforts of CSTA. Indeed, the guidelines in the ACM K-12 Computer Science Standards are now recognized as the de facto U.S. CS curriculum standard. Chris also made major contributions to awareness of and broad progress on K-12 CS education including through her co-authorship of the Running on Empty report and her participation as a founding member of the Computing in the Core organization. ACM salutes Chris Stephenson for her steadfast devotion to CS education.

ACM Senior Member

USA - 2009

2018 ACM Distinguished Members Recognized for Contributions that Have Revolutionized How We Live, Work and Play

ACM named 49 Distinguished Members for outstanding contributions to the field. The 2018 ACM Distinguished Members are exemplars for their peers, and represent ACM’s worldwide geographic reach, as well as the exciting range of subdisciplines that constitute today’s technology landscape.

"By honoring these individuals, we highlight the professional achievements behind the technologies that have transformed both our daily lives and society in general,” explains ACM President Cherri M. Pancake. “Each Distinguished Member has also demonstrated a commitment to being part of the professional community through his or her longstanding membership in ACM. These computing leaders really epitomize ACM’s mission of ‘advancing computing as a science and a profession.’"

The 2018 ACM Distinguished Members work at leading universities, corporations and research institutions around the world. They represent countries including Australia, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. These innovators have made contributions in a wide range of technical areas including algorithms, artificial intelligence, computer architecture, computer science education, cybersecurity, graphics, human-computer interaction, and networking.

2018 Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award

Chris Stephenson was named recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award for advancing CS education by architecting and nurturing the Computer Science Teachers Association to incorporate more than 22,000 K-12 CS educators and partners into the ACM community.

Central to Stephenson’s vision has been the idea that advancing computing as a professional field requires K-12 students to be introduced to computer science by educators with the tools, training, knowledge, and confidence both to teach the subject matter and to inspire students with their passion. She also has been guided by the ideas that K-12 teachers will be more effective in the classroom if actively engaged with other members of the professional computing community, and that K-12 computer science education is more effective when it is informed by academic research and industry expertise.

To realize her vision, Stephenson founded the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) in 2004, with the support of ACM, and thereafter became its founding Executive Director. During her 10 years leading CSTA, she grew the organization to include 20,000 members around the world and 60 regional chapters.

Her scholarly research contributions were disseminated in several influential reports including: Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12: What Is Involved and What Is the Role of the Computer Science Education Community?; the inaugural CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards; Running on Empty: The Failure to Teach K–12 Computer Science in the Digital Age; and Bugs in the System: Computer Science Teacher Certification in the U.S. These reports have led to projects, initiatives, and policy changes that have deeply and positively impacted K-12 education and educators globally.

Now Head of Computer Science Education Strategy at Google, Stephenson has continued her work with ACM education initiatives. She is currently a member of the ACM Education Board, where she has been actively engaged in developing curricular materials to meet the needs of computer science educators and students, both in the US and abroad. She also recently co-chaired the Board’s retention in undergraduate computer science task force.

The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award recognizes outstanding service contributions to the Association. Candidates are selected based on the value and degree of service overall, and may be given to up to three individuals each year.

ACM Presidential Award Recognizes Two Leaders for Contributions in CS Education and European Outreach

Chris Stephenson, Head of Computer Science Education Programs at Google Inc., was recognized with the 2016 ACM Presidential Award for being "a true visionary and teaching advocate who spirited ACM’s lifelong commitment to computer science education, recognizing the need to introduce CS to young students taught by educators with the tools and training to inspire future generations to the wonders of computing."

The long citation reads: "ACM, teachers, and students worldwide are indebted to Chris Stephenson for her landmark work in creating an international organization dedicated to supporting teachers and pursuing excellence in CS education for K-12 students. As the architect and first executive director of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), Chris led the charge that changed the way CS education is appreciated at the K-12 level. Under her astute, decade-long leadership, CSTA grew to over 20,000 strong, culminating in projects and initiatives that deeply impacted K-12 education and educators around the world. Along the way, she motivated corporate sponsors and educational partners to join the cause. Teachers today have access to unprecedented opportunities for professional development thanks to the efforts of CSTA. Indeed, the guidelines in the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards are now recognized as the de facto US national CS curriculum standard. Chris also made major contributions to awareness of and broad progress on K-12 CS education through her co-authorship of the Running on Empty report and her participation as a founding member of the Computing in the Core organization. ACM salutes Chris Stephenson for her steadfast devotion to CS education."

Gerhard Schimpf, who serves as Chair of ACM Europe’s Council of European Chapter Leaders, was recognized for "his leadership in support of ACM’s mission for global expansion by helping to establish ACM Europe, advocating ACM’s involvement in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum, and enlightening students and professionals throughout Europe to the value of ACM membership."

The long citation reads: "ACM honors Gerhard Schimpf for his exhaustive devotion to ACM for over four decades, and his unremitting work to increase ACM’s visibility across Europe. Gerhard was a leading supporter of ACM Europe, serving on the first ACM Europe Council in 2009. He was also instrumental in coordinating ACM’s spot as one of the founding organizations of the Heidelberg Laureate Forum. The HLF, an annual gathering of top students and foremost scientists in the field, including ACM’s Turing Award recipients, has received worldwide recognition for excellence since its debut in 2012. ACM is indebted to Gerhard for his dedication and global vision."