Date: Feb 06, 2007

HOFSTRA COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSOR WINS LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD

John Impagliazzo, Ph.D., recognized for decades of service to computer science education

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY - John Impagliazzo, professor of computer science at Hofstra, will receive a Lifetime Service Award from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE).

ACM is the premier organization of computing professionals and academics. This Lifetime Service Award honors an individual who has a long history of volunteer service to computer science education, which includes service to ACM or other organizations dedicated to this cause. The award will be presented at the SIGCSE 2007 Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education on March 10, 2007 in Covington, Kentucky.

"We applaud the ACM's recognition of John's many valuable contributions to the field of computer science education, something we at Hofstra have valued for many years," said Hofstra Provost Herman Berliner. "Generations of Hofstra computer science students have benefited from his knowledge, international experience and continuing passion in his field."

Professor Impagliazzo's work in computer science and related areas spans four decades.  He is recognized for his computing expertise by universities, governmental agencies, and institutions around the world. He serves as an advisor and consultant for various countries regarding curricula, assessment, accreditation, and related activities.  He has served as an accreditation team chair and program evaluator for ABET (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) and CSAC (formerly the Computer Science Accreditation Commission) and has performed in an active leadership role on visiting teams for more than 35 computing-related programs worldwide.

Dr. Impagliazzo joined Hofstra's Computer Science Department in 1984 and served as department chair for more than six years. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and Master's Degrees in mathematics and engineering. He also holds two undergraduate degrees in physics and electronics.

He has made more than 120 professional presentations in computer science and mathematics worldwide, including a weeklong presentation at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Europe. He has chaired the ACM Accreditation Committee for 12 years, served as chair of the 1996 SIGCSE Technical Symposium, and helped create the ACM Two-Year College Education Committee, which he chaired for three years. He is currently editor-in-chief of the ACM publication inroads (the SIGCSE Bulletin), a position he has held since 1997, and is a member of CSAB, the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board.

Dr. Impagliazzo represented the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society on the Computer Engineering Task Force where he served as a principal co-author and editor of the Computer Engineering Report (CE2004), and was an active participant on the task force that produced the Computing Curricula 2005 Report (CC2005). Additionally, he is an associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering, under development by the John Wiley publishing company.

Computing history is a primary interest of Dr. Impagliazzo. Currently, he is chair of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Working Group 9.7 on the History of Computing and was an active member and treasurer of the IEEE History Committee, the oversight committee for the IEEE History Center.  His website at www.CompHist.org is an expression of his enthusiasm for computing history.

Within the past three years, Dr. Impagliazzo has been involved in the publication of several books on computing history and related topics where he served as editor or co-editor. Their titles are History of Computing in Education (2004), History of Nordic Computing (2005), Social Informatics: An Information Society for All (2006), and History of Computing and Education 2 (2006).  He is currently working on a book called Perspectives on Soviet and Russian Computing (c.2007) and will be completing a second book on History of Nordic Computing 2 (c.2008).  The well-known Springer Science is the publisher for these works.

He is the recipient of the IEEE Computer Society Outstanding Contribution Award (2005) for his work on the Computer Engineering Report. He is also a member of the ACM Education Board and a member of ACM's Education Council.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students find their edge to succeed in more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 23 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.