6 May 2004National Academy of Sciences Elects Computer Scientists
The National Academy of Sciences announced on April 20 the election of new members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Among them are two theoretical computer scientists: Shafrira Goldwasser (RSA professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Ronald L. Rivest (Andrew and Erna Viterbi professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
The list of current NAS members for Computer Science includes its fair share of theoretical computer scientists. However, the fields of theory of automata, logic in computer science and semantics, broadly construed, are only represented by Stephen Cook, Michael Rabin (foreign member) and Dana Scott. It would be good to see a better representation from our field(s) in that list. At the very least, this would indicate better visibility and appreciation of what some people have called "Eurotheory" or "Volume B theory" within the American academic establishment. As a comparison, the list of members of the Section des Sciences mécaniques of the French Academy of Sciences includes people like Gérard Berry, Gérard Huet and Gilles Kahn.
Last modified: Thursday, 06-May-2004 12:20:29 CEST.