IC's Lauren Wilcox and Neha Kumar Selected For ACM Future of Computing Academy

Jun 14, 2017

School of Interactive Computing Assistant Professors Lauren Wilcox and Neha Kumar were both selected to the inaugural class of the Association for Computing Machinery Future of Computing Academy (ACM-FCA).

The ACM-FCA is a new initiative created by ACM to support and foster the next generation of computing professionals. It enables young researchers, practitioners, educators, and entrepreneurs to develop a coherent and influential voice that addresses challenging issues facing the field and society in general.

The ACM website characterizes selection to the ACM-FCA as a commitment, not an award. It notes that “members of the Academy are expected to engage in activity for the benefit of the next generation of computing professionals.”

ACM-FCA members are invited to attend ACM’s celebration of 50 years of the ACM Turing Award on June 23-24 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. The inaugural meeting of the ACM-FCA will be on June 25, also in San Francisco.

Wilcox, whose research focuses on enabling people to cultivate a more informed relationship with their health through human-centered technology, said she is thrilled to join the Academy.

“It provides an opportunity to work with other researchers, scholars, and computing professionals in many different areas of computing,” she said. “We have different ideas about what the future of computing looks like, but a common goal of creating a shared vision for that future.”

Kumar, who shares a joint appointment with the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and conducts research at the intersection of human-computer interaction and global development, said she is excited to be a part of this group.

“I’m most excited about joining the Academy to learn the incredible things that all the other inaugural members are working towards,” she said. “Even from the one conference call we’ve had, it’s clear that everyone is driven and ready to change the world in their own unique ways.”

Members of the inaugural class represent 19 different countries, including Morocco, Pakistan, India, the United States, the Netherlands, Egypt, Germany, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, China, Denmark, Bangladesh, Turkey, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Israel, and the Ukraine.