ACM A.M.

Turing Minds

Fall, 2024

About Turing Minds

Turing Minds is an annual event that brings together the brightest minds in computer science. Named after Alan Turing, the father of computer science, this series features talks from Turing Award winners, sharing their groundbreaking research and insights into the future of technology.

Click on a speaker card to view their detailed biography
Speaker

Dr. Joseph Sifakis

October 4th, 12pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Joseph Sifakis is a pioneering computer scientist and 2007 Turing Award recipient, sharing the honor with Edmund M. Clarke and E. Allen Emerson. His groundbreaking work on formal verification of systems and the development of model checking has revolutionized the field of computer-aided verification. Dr. Sifakis's contributions have fundamentally transformed how we ensure the reliability and security of software and hardware systems, setting new standards for system design and verification that continue to shape the industry today.

Speaker

Dr. Leslie Valiant

October 11th, 12pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Leslie Valiant, honored with the 2010 Turing Award, is a visionary computer scientist whose work has redefined the landscape of computational learning theory and artificial intelligence. His pioneering development of the 'probably approximately correct' (PAC) learning model has become a cornerstone in machine learning theory and practice. Dr. Valiant's groundbreaking contributions continue to drive innovation in AI algorithms and applications, influencing countless advancements in the field.

Speaker

Dr. James Gosling

October 18th, 1pm EST

'Question & Answer'

Dr. James Gosling, often referred to as the 'father of Java', is a renowned computer scientist whose creation of the Java programming language has revolutionized software development. His work has enabled the 'write once, run anywhere' paradigm, fundamentally changing how applications are developed and deployed across various platforms. Dr. Gosling's contributions have had a profound impact on the tech industry, influencing everything from web applications to mobile devices, and continue to shape the landscape of modern computing.

Speaker

Dr. Robert Gentleman

October 25th, 1pm EST

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Robert Gentleman is a trailblazing statistician and bioinformatician who has profoundly impacted the worlds of data analysis and computational biology. As co-creator of the R programming language with Ross Ihaka, he has provided an invaluable tool that has become indispensable in statistical computing and data science. Dr. Gentleman's work has not only bridged the gap between computer science and biology but has also catalyzed unprecedented advancements in bioinformatics, shaping how researchers approach data analysis in life sciences.

Speaker

Dr. Vint Cerf

November 1st, 12pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Vint Cerf, often hailed as one of the 'fathers of the Internet', is a pioneering computer scientist whose work has fundamentally shaped our modern digital world. Awarded the 2004 Turing Award alongside Robert E. Kahn, Dr. Cerf co-designed the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet, laying the foundation for global connectivity. His visionary contributions continue to underpin the entire structure of internet communication, enabling the digital revolution that defines our era.

Speaker

Dr. Geoffrey Hinton

November 8th, 1pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, renowned as the 'godfather of deep learning', is a cognitive psychologist and computer scientist who has revolutionized the field of artificial intelligence. Awarded the 2018 Turing Award alongside Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun, his pioneering work on artificial neural networks and deep learning algorithms has been instrumental in propelling machine learning and AI to new heights. Dr. Hinton's groundbreaking research continues to drive innovation across numerous industries, from healthcare to autonomous systems, reshaping our understanding of machine intelligence.

Speaker

Dr. Michael Stonebraker

November 15th, 12pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Michael Stonebraker, recipient of the 2014 Turing Award, is a pioneering computer scientist whose work has revolutionized database systems. As the inventor of INGRES and Postgres, and a key contributor to several other innovative database systems, he has been instrumental in advancing both relational and post-relational database technologies. Dr. Stonebraker's fundamental contributions to database management systems have shaped the entire landscape of data management, from his early work at UC Berkeley to his later innovations at MIT. His research and entrepreneurial ventures have enabled the data-driven technologies that power today's information age, influencing everything from traditional relational databases to modern big data and machine learning systems.

Speaker

Dr. Avi Wigderson

November 29th, 12pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Avi Wigderson, recipient of the 2023 A.M. Turing Award from the Association of Computing Machinery, has had a distinguished career spanning decades of groundbreaking contributions to computer science. He received his B.Sc. in Computer Science from Technion, Haifa, Israel in 1980, followed by an M.S.E. (1981), M.A. (1982), and Ph.D. (1983) in Computer Science from Princeton University. In 2008, he was awarded the Conant Prize from the American Mathematical Society. He received the Gödel Prize in 2009, and in 2011, he was honored as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2013, he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Wigderson was honored as an ACM Fellow in 2018 and received the Donald E. Knuth Prize in 2019. In 2021, he was awarded the Abel Prize from the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters and honored as a Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. His recent accolades also include the Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing and an Honorary Doctorate from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.

Speaker

Dr. John Hennessy

December 6th, 1pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. John Hennessy, awarded the 2017 Turing Award with David Patterson, is a pioneering computer scientist whose work has fundamentally transformed computer architecture. His groundbreaking contributions to RISC processor architecture have profoundly influenced modern computer design, leading to more efficient and powerful computing systems. As a visionary leader in computer engineering education, Dr. Hennessy has shaped the field for generations of students and professionals, leaving an indelible mark on the evolution of computing technology.

Speaker

Dr. Don Chamberlin

January 24th, 1pm EST

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Don Chamberlin is a distinguished computer scientist whose work has transformed how we interact with databases. As a principal designer of SQL (Structured Query Language) alongside Raymond F. Boyce, and a significant contributor to XQuery, Dr. Chamberlin has profoundly influenced the field of database management systems. His pioneering work on structured query languages continues to be the foundation for data manipulation and retrieval in countless systems worldwide, shaping the backbone of data-driven applications.

Speaker

Dr. Yoshua Bengio

February 21st, 1pm EST

Turing Award Recipient

'Question & Answer'

Dr. Yoshua Bengio, a recipient of the 2018 Turing Award shared with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun, is a renowned computer scientist who has played a pivotal role in the advancement of artificial intelligence and deep learning. His groundbreaking work on neural networks and deep learning architectures has not only pushed the boundaries of AI capabilities but has also led to transformative applications across various fields. Dr. Bengio's ongoing research continues to drive innovation in AI, influencing everything from natural language processing to computer vision and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Turing Award?

The Turing Award is often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Computing." It is an annual award given by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) to an individual for contributions of lasting and major technical importance to the computer field.

How can I attend the speaker series?

By RSVPing on our website when we release the event RSVPs.

Are the talks recorded?

At the speakers discretion, some talks are recorded and will be made available on our website after the event. However, we encourage live attendance for the opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions.

Is there a cost to attend?

The event is free for all.

How can I suggest a speaker for future series?

We welcome suggestions for future speakers. Please send your recommendations to our hosts whos' emails can be found below.

Speaker Series Advisors

These are the people who helped make this event possible.

Click on an advisor card to view their detailed biography
Advisor

Dr. Zvi Galil

Creator of OMSCS, Former Dean of Computing at Georgia Tech, Professor at Columbia University

Biography

Zvi Galil is noted for his research in algorithms, complexity, and cryptography. Former Dean of Computing at Georgia Tech, he has written over 200 scientific papers and is recognized for his contributions to computer science education.

Advisor

Dr. Edward Feigenbaum

Turing Award Winner, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University

Biography

Edward Feigenbaum is a pioneer in artificial intelligence, known as the 'father of expert systems.' He is a joint winner of the 1994 ACM Turing Award for his work in AI and expert systems.

Advisor

Dr. Moshe Vardi

University Professor at Rice University

Biography

Moshe Vardi is a University Professor and the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor in Computational Engineering at Rice University. He is renowned for his contributions to logic and computation, database theory, and artificial intelligence.

Advisor

Dr. Jeffrey Ullman

Turing Award Winner, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University

Biography

Jeffrey Ullman is a renowned computer scientist known for his work in database theory, data mining, and software engineering. He is a co-recipient of the 2020 ACM Turing Award.

Advisor

Dr. Leslie Lamport

Turing Award Winner, Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research

Biography

Leslie Lamport is a computer scientist and mathematician. He received the 2013 Turing Award for his fundamental contributions to the theory and practice of distributed and concurrent systems.

Who are we?

We are two Online Master's in Computer Science students at Georgia Tech. If you have any inquiries or need further information, please don't hesitate to contact us!

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