Joanne Bechta Dugan facts for kids

Joanne Bechta Dugan, born in 1958, is an American computer engineer. She studies how computer systems can keep working even when parts break. This is called fault tolerance. She also looks at how to find possible problems in systems using something called "fault tree analysis." She teaches electrical and computer engineering at the University of Virginia.

Early Life and Education

Joanne Bechta Dugan loved math and computers. She studied these subjects at La Salle University. She finished her first degree in 1980.

After that, she went to Duke University for more advanced studies. There, she earned both her master's degree and her PhD in electrical engineering. Her PhD project in 1984 was about "Extended Stochastic Petri Nets." This work helped understand how complex systems behave.

Awards and Recognition

Dugan has received many important awards for her work.

IEEE Fellow

In 2000, she was named a Fellow of the IEEE. This is a very high honor for engineers. She received it for her important contributions to making computer systems more reliable.

IEEE Reliability Society Award

Also in 2000, she won the IEEE Reliability Society Award. This award recognized her new ways of using "fault tree analysis." Her methods helped make computer systems safer and more dependable. She even helped create software tools based on her ideas.

Harriett B. Rigas Award

In 2003, she won the Harriett B. Rigas Award from the IEEE Education Society. This award was for her great work in teaching college students. She helped many young people learn about engineering.

IT Leadership Award

In 2016, her old university, La Salle University, gave her the IT Leadership Award. This award celebrated her leadership in the field of information technology.