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OCA98
Contact: Tina Angelone
Chris Morgan
IMMEDIATE
New York, December 4,1998...The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has selected Peter J. Denning, professor of computer science at George Mason University, and Robert L. Ashenhurst, professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago, as recipients of the 1998 Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award. The Award will be presented on May 15, 1999 at a special awards ceremony hosted by the ACM in Manhattan.
The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award is presented annually to individuals who are selected based on the value and degree of service to the ACM.
Denning is being honored for his "long-standing contributions and dedication to ACM, as a Council member and President, with innovative and persuasive involvement in publications, education programs and Special Interest Group (SIG) governance."
Ashenhurst is honored for "long-term contributions and commitment to the ACM, as Communications of the ACM (CACM) editor-in-chief and Monograph series editor, ACM Council member, Curriculum Committee member, and Parliamentarian."
In addition to being a professor of computer science at George Mason University, Denning is also the university coordinator for Process Reengineering. He previously served as vice provost for continuing professional education, associate dean for
computing, and chair of the computer science department in the School of Information Technology and Engineering at George Mason University. Denning was the founding
director of the Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science at the NASA Ames Research Center. He received his Ph.D. from MIT.
Denning has been active in ACM in volunteer leadership positions since 1968, including president of ACM 1980-82, editor-in-chief of Communications of the ACM (CACM) from 1983-92, continuing Ashenhurst's transformation of CACM from a research journal to a wide-interest magazine. He has also led two significant changes in the ACM Curriculum recommendations for universities, planning and development of the ACM Digital Library and copyright policies for cyberspace. Denning was the first chair of the SIG Board 1970-74 and received the Distinguished Service Award in 1989 and the Karl Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award in 1996.
Ashenhurst has held many positions at the University of Chicago, including director, Institute for Computer Research; chairman, Committee on Information Sciences; and associate director, Computation Center. He received his Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard University.
Ashenhurst has occupied many volunteer leadership roles at the ACM. As a member of the Curriculum Committee on Computer Education for Management he edited the Committee's 1972 report appearing in the Communications of the ACM (CACM). From 1973-83 Ashenhurst held both the positions of editor-in-chief for CACM, where he initiated the changes toward a wide-interest magazine and chairman of the Editorial Committee of the ACM Publications Board. He served as an elected Member-at-Large on the ACM Council, 1976-88. Since 1986, he has held the position of Council Parliamentarian, and since 1992 he has been chairman of the ACM Constitution & Bylaws Committee.
Denning and Ashenhurst are both ACM Fellows.
About the Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is the oldest and largest international professional association of computer professionals. ACM is a major force in advancing the skills of information technology professionals and students. ACM serves its global membership by delivering cutting-edge information and transferring ideas from theory to practice. ACM with its world-class journals and magazines, dynamic special interest groups, numerous conferences, workshops and forums, is a primary resource to the field of IT. For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.acm.org.
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