Francine Berman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francine Berman
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| Born | February 7, 1951 Glendale, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Washington (BA, MS, PhD) |
| Known for | Cyberinfrastructure, Supercomputer |
| Awards | Ken Kennedy Award, 2009 Digital Preservation Pioneer (National Library of Congress) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer Science |
| Institutions | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of California, San Diego, Purdue University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
Francine Berman, born on February 7, 1951, is a famous American computer scientist. She is known for her work in keeping digital information safe for a long time. She also helped build "cyberinfrastructure," which is like a huge digital highway for computers.
In 2009, she received the first-ever Ken Kennedy Award. This award recognized her leadership in creating large-scale computer systems. It also honored her work as a teacher and her help to the supercomputing world. In 2004, a magazine called her the "reigning teraflop queen." This meant she was a top expert in supercomputers.
Dr. Berman used to be the director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). She was also a professor of computer science at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Since 2009, she has been a vice president and professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). In 2011, she helped lead the National Academies Board on Research Data and Information. In August 2021, she joined the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. There, she started a program focused on how technology can help the public.
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Early Life and Education
Francine Berman was born in Glendale, California. She went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1973, she earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics.
Later, she studied at the University of Washington. She received her master's degree in 1976 and her Ph.D. in mathematics in 1979. Her Ph.D. research looked at special models of "dynamic logic." This is a topic in the field of theoretical computer science.
What Did Francine Berman Do in Her Career?
Dr. Berman started her career as a professor at Purdue University in Indiana. This was in the Computer Science Department.
In 1984, she moved to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She became an assistant professor there. Over time, she became an associate and then a full professor. In 2002, she received a special award. It was the Endowed Chair in High Performance Computing at UCSD.
Leading Supercomputer Centers
In 1999, while at UCSD, Dr. Berman started the Grid Computing Laboratory. This lab studied how to make computer programs work better on very powerful computers. They also looked at "grid environments." These are like networks of many computers working together.
The lab was famous for its AppLeS project. This project created smart computer programs. These programs could adjust themselves to work best on different computer systems.
In 2001, Dr. Berman became the director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). This center was a main part of the National Science Foundation's program. This program, called NPACI, helped build national computer systems. It also provided supercomputing tools to researchers across the U.S.
As director, SDSC hosted national supercomputer facilities. They also worked with many groups to create new computer programs. In 2001, Dr. Berman also helped launch TeraGrid. This was another big project sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
From 2001 to 2009, Dr. Berman led SDSC. The center had hundreds of researchers and staff. During her time, SDSC focused on science that uses lots of data. They also worked on keeping data safe for the future. SDSC became a leader in handling huge amounts of data.
Protecting Digital Information
In 2007, Dr. Berman became a co-leader of a special group. It was called the "Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access." This group studied how to keep digital information safe and available for a long time. They looked at the costs and challenges involved.
The task force released two important reports. One came out in 2008, and another in early 2010. These reports looked at how to pay for digital preservation. They also gave ideas for keeping digital information safe. The reports have been downloaded over 120,000 times.
In 2009, Dr. Berman became a vice president at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 2012, she became the U.S. leader for the Research Data Alliance (RDA). She also became a distinguished professor of computer science there.
Awards and Special Recognitions
In 2009, Dr. Berman was the first person to receive the Ken Kennedy Award. She has also been named a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) in 2009. In 2011, she became a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
In 2013, she chaired a section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The Library of Congress has called her a "Digital Preservation Pioneer." This means she was a leader in keeping digital information safe. She has written over 100 articles and book chapters. She also helped edit a book called Grid Computing: Making the Global Infrastructure a Reality. In 2019, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Helping Others in STEM
Throughout her career, Dr. Berman has worked to help women in STEM fields. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. She especially focused on women in computer science.
She helped start a group called CRA-W. This group works to improve the status of women in computing research. She was a co-chair of CRA-W from 1993 to 1996. Dr. Berman also led the board of trustees for the Anita Borg Institute. This institute supports women in technology.
She has given many speeches at events like the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. She often talks about keeping data safe, cyberinfrastructure, and women in science.
Affiliations
- Anita Borg Institute (Board of Trustees Board Chair)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Vice President for Research and Professor of Computer Science)
See also
In Spanish: Francine Berman para niños
