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Awards Sponsored by SIGCSE

Each year, the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) selects recipients for its two awards. Refer to the criteria and nomination procedures.

SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education
SIGCSE Award for Lifetime Service

SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education

2008: Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University

For being an inspirational leader in building programs and environments blending art with science and motivating a world of learners to realize their dreams.

2007: Judith Gal-Ezer, The Open University of Israel, Ra´anana Israel

Outstanding researcher and curriculum designer who has carried out pioneering work involving teaching the essence of computer science on both the high school and university levels.

2007 John Hughes, University of Technology, Sydney Australia [posthumous]

In memory of his forty years contribution to computing education, academic leadership and research in Australasia and internationally. He was an outstanding mentor of students and colleagues and a committed educator.

2006: Richard Pattis, Carnegie Mellon University

More than two decades of innovation and influence in providing thoughtful, profound, and concrete examples of teaching and thinking about algorithmic problem solving and programming.

2005: Kim Bruce, Williams College

Innovative teaching methods, textbook authorship. Leadership in Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium and its curricular recommendations to Curriculum 91 and Curriculum 2001.

2004: Mordechai Ben-Ari, Weizmann Institute of Science

Textbook author, mentor and pedagogical researcher at both the university and pre-college levels, in concurrency, formal methods, and programming languages

2003: Eric Roberts, Stanford University

Master teacher, advocate for computer science education, emissary to underrepresented populations in computer science. Principle editor and co-chair of the seminal document “Computing Curriculum 2001”.

2002: Elliot Soloway, University of Michigan

Pioneering Computer Science Education researcher, master teacher, and eloquent spokesman for educational reform involving computing to our computing colleagues and world at large.

2001: Allen B. Tucker, Bowdoin College

Author areas of programming languages, natural language processing, and computer science education. Co-chaired the ACM/IEEE Joint Curriculum Task Force that developed Computing Curricula 1991, co-author of the 1986 Liberal Arts Model Curriculum in Computer Science, Editor-in-Chief of the 1997 CRC Handbook of Computer Science and Engineering

2000: Andries van Dam, Brown University

Prolific author, researcher , hypertext pioneer and a champion of computing education for many year., founding faculty member of Brown University Computer Science Department

1999: Peter Denning, George Mason University

For his efforts in developing a scientific core for operating systems, in formulating a curriculum through the “Denning Report”, and in elucidating Computer Science to the broader scientific community. (Kalrstrom citation – please change)

1998: William Wulf, National Academy of Engineering, University of Virginia

Contributions to the advancement of Computer Science Education in engineering

1997: Andrew Tanenbaum, Vrije Universiteit

For seminal textbooks in networks, computer organization and operating systems, outstanding wit and educational leadership.

1996: Nell Dale, University of Texas at Austin

Prolific author for introductory computer science textbooks and contributions to the field of computer science education research

1995: Robert Aiken, Temple University

Outstanding mentor, advocate of computer science and technology education both in the United States and abroad.

1994: Norman Gibbs, Software Engineering Institute

Contribution to Software Engineering Education, first director of the Software Engineering Institute, co-founder Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium

1993: Alan Kay, Apple Computer

Contributions to Smalltalk programming languages, research development of computers usable by children

1992: Daniel McCracken, City College, City University of New York

Author of numerous best-selling books on Fortran, COBOL and other languages and their profound influence on today’s computer science teachers.

1991: David Gries, Cornell University

Contributions to Computer Science Education through textbooks and teaching enabling critical thinking, formal methods and the application of logic to the discipline.

1990: Curriculum '68 Committee

For their work on the seminal document leading the way for the founding of a multitude of computer science departments and providing guidance to the formation of courses and production of textbooks.

1989: Edsger Dijkstra, University of Texas at Austin

For providing clarity about programs through his letter “GOTO Considered Harmful” and writings on structured programming and the effects of these works on the emergence of formal methods as integral to computer science education.

1988: Grace Murray Hopper, Rear Admiral USN, Digital Equipment Corporation

Pioneering work in compiler design (Cobol), oversaw the Navy's efforts to maintain uniformity in programming languages over two decades, master teacher who reminded us to watch our nanoseconds

1987: Niklaus Wirth, ETH, Zurich

For the development of a series of programming languages mainly for use in education chief among them Pascal. These languages continue to have a profound effect on the teaching of programming and on computer science in general.

1986: Donald Knuth, Stanford University

Author of influential series the “Art of Computer Programming” and his continuing contributions including TeX publication tool.

1985: Elliot Organick, University of Utah

Founder of SIGCSE, author and disseminator of the MULTICS operating system, author of several widely disseminated textbooks in programming languages and first computer courses.

1983: Karl Karlstrom, Prentice-Hall

Book editor who piloted some 500 books on computer science through the publication process at a time when a senior editor said “I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year."

1982: Alan Perlis, Yale University

Contributions to education through his work on programming languages and compiler construction, especially

1981: William Atchison, University of Maryland

Head of ACM Curriculum Committee that produced Curriculum ’68, founding leader of University of Maryland Computer Science Department.

SIGCSE Award for Lifetime Service

2008: Dennis J. Frailey, Raytheon Corporation

For forty years of exceptional service in industry and academia that stimulated a combined synergy which promoted educational excellence in software engineering and computing education.

2007: John Impagliazzo (Hofstra University)

For extraordinary services to computing education, with particular contributions to the SIGCSE Bulletin, to international conferences on computing history, to accreditation leadership, and to curricula development.

2006: Joyce Currie Little, Towson University

In honor of her service on the SIGCSE Board, the ACM Education Board, numerous conference committees; and for her contributions to computing in two year colleges, to certification and to professionalism in the discipline.

2005: Andrew McGettrick, University of Strathclyde

For outstanding service and direction to the computing community in the UK and abroad. Member ACM Education Board, membership and significant influence on CC2001 final report, author of Report on Benchmark Levels for Computing, November 2000 Report on Benchmark Levels for Computing.

2004: Bruce Klein, Grand Valley State University

Recognized for exemplary service to ACM, extraordinary commitment to SIGCSE, mentoring of SIGCSE members. ACM SIG Board task forces, ACM Education Board, SIGCSE Executive Board 2001 to 2007 as chair and past chair, past ITiCSE Conference and Technical Symposium chair, program committees.

2003: Harriet Taylor, National Science Foundation and Louisiana State University

Creative leader, researcher, supportive teacher. Past SIGCSE officer, representative to NECC, contributor to National Educational Technology Standards, UNESCO informatics curriculum, ISTE project for accreditation in technology for NCATE, the accreditation body for Colleges of Education, chair or program chair of numerous other education related conferences

2002: A. Joe Turner, Clemson University and Zayed University

Dedication to students, colleagues and the profession both in the United States and abroad. Chair or officer in: ACM, ACM Education Board, Curriculum ’91 Task Force, Computer Science Accreditation Board, IFIP Working Group 3.2 (University Informatics Education), National Educational Computing Association

2001: Lillian N. (Boots) Cassel, Villanova University

Past chair of SIGCSE, and its Technical Symposium, leader in computer science accreditation, tireless advocate for computer science education supporting both faculty and students.

2000: James Miller, University of Southern Mississippi

Tireless editor of the SIGCSE Bulletin 1982-1997.

1999: Bob Aiken, Temple University

Service to SIGCSE, ACM-IFIPS, leader of several Computer Science People-to-People exchanges, dedicated mentor, and advocate for computer science in education both in the US and abroad.

1998: Della Bonnette, University of Southwestern Louisiana

Past chair of SIGCSE and Technical Symposium chair, editor of the SIGCSE bulletin, leadership in accreditation including chairing CSAC, years on CSAB Board of Directors, ACM SIG Board, area director

1997: Dick Austing, University of Maryland

Editor on several curriculum recommendation documents in almost every area of computer science, including Curriculum ’78, 2-year Task Force Report. Service as registrar for many SIGCSE conferences both before and after computerized registration. SIGCSE Technical Symposium chair. Founding ACM Fellow.