Computer Science Chair at Kent State Honored by National Computing Group (3/24/08)

Robert A. Walker, chair of the Department of Computer Science at Kent State University, will receive the 2007 Outstanding Contribution to the Association for Computing Machinery Award. The 82,000 member association, in existence since 1947, promotes the computing field as a science as well as a profession.

Walker was selected for the honor for his significant accomplishments with the group over the past fifteen years. Walker chaired the ACM Special Interest Group Governing Board, where he promoted collaboration among the association’s many technical communities within the computing field.

Due to Walker’s work with the association’s Special Interest Group on Design Automation, activities sponsored by that group now include international symposia and workshops; technical initiatives to help young practitioners and students stay current on advances in the design automation field; and peer-reviewed papers and newsletters to speed communication of new research and development.

Walker currently serves as a SIG representative on ACM’s Council, and is chair of the Senior Member Committee. He also served in a variety of administrative positions for 42 conferences since 1999, and was elected an ACM Distinguished Member in 2006.

Walker is an associate professor and chair of the computer science department at Kent State. His research interests include novel architectures for embedded systems, high-level behavioral synthesis of digital systems and design space exploration.

A graduate of Tennessee Technological University with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering, Walker holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

ACM will present the 2007 Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award to Walker at the annual ACM Awards Banquet on June 21 in San Francisco.

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