2004: The 30th Anniversary of the Computer
Science Division within UC Berkeley College of Engineering
by David Pescovitz
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On February 28, 2004 , a computer science summit took place on the UC Berkeley campus. Five of the world's preeminent computer pioneers gathered to discuss the future of computing, from ubiquitous sensors and new programming languages to Internet security and the buggy behavior of today's software. This was not a technical conference or corporate board meeting, but rather a celebration. The Computer Science Division of UC Berkeley's EECS Department was feting its 30th anniversary, and these visionaries were here for the party.
Hosted by professor Randy Katz, the Berkeley Visionaries Panel provided a rare opportunity to hear Ken Thompson, Butler Lampson, Jim Gray, Nicklaus Wirth, and Bill Joy glance back at their Berkeley years and look ahead at the future of the industry they helped create.
The Visionaries panel was the closing event in a day that began with a series of presentations highlighting the department's rich history of invention. After all, this was the birthplace of Berkeley Unix, the relational database, RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks), Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC), Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) and dozens of other innovations that are directly connected to multi-billion dollar industries.
Turing award winners and Berkeley alumns (from left to right):
Ken Thompson, Butler Lampson, Jim Gray, Nicklaus Wirth
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As evidenced by the afternoon proceedings, the innovation continues. UC Berkeley computer scientists described their latest breakthroughs in such diverse disciplines as artificial intelligence, pervasive computing, and computational biology. Later presentations showcased the multidisciplinary efforts of the Berkeley-based Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS). The Center supports use-inspired basic research that could someday help solve some of the biggest challenges facing the world today.
Itself a great moment in UC Berkeley Computer Science history, the webcast of the 30th Anniversary Celebration program has been archived for public viewing. Also available for free download is "Thirty Years of Innovation," a full color brochure honoring the department.
UC Berkeley Computer Science 30th Anniversary Celebration
Berkeley Computer Science: Thirty Years of Innovation (PDF Publication)
"CS Division celebrates 30th anniversary" by Angela Privin (Engineering News)
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Updated 3/22/04.
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