ACM Elects New Leadership Team to Face Rapidly Evolving Digital Environment

May 23, 2014

ACM has elected Alexander L. Wolf as President for a two-year term beginning July 1. Wolf, a Professor in Computing at Imperial College London, UK, said he is committed to creating a climate in which fresh ideas are generated to address the challenges confronting ACM in the rapidly evolving computing community. He cited as top priorities the rise of computer-mediated, cost-free, dynamic social networks as well as the forces reshaping relationships among authors, readers, reviewers, publishers and libraries.

Also elected to two-year terms were Vice President Vicki L. Hanson, Professor and Chair of Inclusive Technologies in the School of Computing at the University of Dundee, Scotland and Distinguished Professor of Computing at the Rochester Institute of Technology; and Secretary/Treasurer Erik Altman, Manager of the Dynamic Optimization Group at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center.

Hanson noted that while ACM has never had as much impact as it does now, the organization faces rapidly changing technical and professional environments. She identified the expanding global community as the impetus for ACM to develop strategies that connect with local technical communities through better understanding of diverse cultural, educational, and professional contexts.

Altman highlighted his interest in raising awareness of ACM's valued lifelong learning and career development programs among the many practitioner members that ACM serves. He cited the extensive online books offerings as well as the Distinguished Speakers Program for sharing expertise around the globe.

In addition, Members-at-Large elected to four-year terms are Cherri Pancake, Professor and Intel Faculty Fellow at the School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Oregon State University; and Per Stenström, Professor of Computer Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden.

The new officers elected by ACM professional members represent the more than 100,000 computing professionals and students who comprise ACM's international membership.