Stuart S. Shapiro Named Chair of ACM US Public Policy Council
Security and Privacy Expert Will Lead Council as It Expands into Three Major New Areas
NEW YORK, July 20, 2016 – Vicki L. Hanson, president of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the world’s leading society of computing professionals, named Stuart S. Shapiro, a Principal Cyber Security and Privacy Engineer at The MITRE Corporation, as Chair of the ACM US Public Policy Council (USACM). USACM is the focal point for ACM's interaction with US government organizations, the computing community, and the public in all matters of US public policy related to computing and information technology.
Shapiro succeeds Eugene Spafford, a Professor of Computer Science at Purdue University and recognized expert on network security, cybercrime and ethics. In leading USACM, Shapiro will guide a select group of approximately 100 computing and information technology professionals, who draw on their deep expertise to influence public policy in a non-partisan way, while educating the wider public about technology. Shapiro has been active with USACM for many years, having served as both Co-Vice Chair of USACM and Chair of the Council’s Security and Privacy Committee.
“Based on his leadership at MITRE, his professional interests and his numerous contributions to USACM’s Security and Privacy Committee, Stu is the perfect choice to guide our voice on US public policy in the years ahead,” said Hanson. “Stu is taking the reins of the USACM at a critical time. The recent disagreements between Apple and the FBI, as well as headlines about major companies being hacked, individual privacy, driverless cars and a host of other issues, only underscore the sensitivity and growing importance of technology and public policy.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege to have been selected to succeed Gene Spafford as USACM Chair,” said Shapiro. “USACM has developed a hard-earned reputation for unbiased yet unvarnished technical advice regarding important issues at the intersection of computing and information technology and public policy. The depth of USACM’s expertise is matched only by the breadth of the topics it addresses, from traditional areas such as security, privacy, and accessibility to more recent ones such as the Internet of Things and Big Data. My one overriding goal as Chair is to ensure that USACM continues to apply to good effect the combined technical expertise of its members to relevant issues of civic import.”
At MITRE, Shapiro has engaged in a wide range of security and privacy work, including critical infrastructure protection, policy frameworks, risk and control assessment, and incident response. In particular, he has led multiple research and operational efforts in the areas of privacy engineering, privacy risk management, and privacy enhancing technologies (PETs) for several government sponsors, and has written and presented on these topics in numerous forums.
Shapiro holds a BS in Computer Science from Northwestern University, an MSc in Computing from the Open University (UK), and a PhD in Applied History and Social Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional with US commercial and government specializations (CIPP/US, CIPP/G).
Hanson also announced that Jeremy Epstein, a Senior Computer Scientist at SRI International, has been re-appointed as Vice Chair of USACM. Epstein’s research interests include voting security and software security. He is currently on loan to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA’s) Information Innovation Office (I20), where he leads security and privacy programs. Prior to joining DARPA, Epstein led the National Science Foundation's Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program.
Epstein has been a member of USACM for over a decade, having served as Vice Chair for the past two years, and prior to that as chair of the Voting Committee for three years.
USACM is organized around a committee structure. Each member of USACM serves on at least one committee. Policy statements originate at the committee level before being approved by the full USACM Council. USACM’s seven committee areas are: Privacy, Security, Intellectual Property, Law, Accessibility, Digital Governance and Voting. In June, the Council approved the addition of three new working groups to reflect the rapidly growing technology landscape: Internet of Things (IOT), Big Data, and AI/Algorithmic Accountability.
About the ACM US Public Policy Council
The ACM US Public Policy Council (USACM) serves as the focal point for ACM's interactions with the US government in matters of US public policy related to information technology. ACM US Public Policy Council statements represent the views of the Council and do not necessarily represent the views of the Association.
About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
Contact:
Jim Ormond
ACM Media Relations
212-626-0505
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Renee Dopplick
ACM US Public Policy Council
212-626-0541
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