Computing Community Consortium Blog

The goal of the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) is to catalyze the computing research community to debate longer range, more audacious research challenges; to build consensus around research visions; to evolve the most promising visions toward clearly defined initiatives; and to work with the funding organizations to move challenges and visions toward funding initiatives. The purpose of this blog is to provide a more immediate, online mechanism for dissemination of visioning concepts and community discussion/debate about them.


Microsoft Announces New Policy-Focused Internship Program

February 9th, 2012 / in policy, resources / by Erwin Gianchandani

Microsoft’s Technology Policy Group (TPG) has announced a new internship program that will offer “a limited number of internships to exceptional candidates interested in helping characterize the long-term policy implications of disruptive technologies.” The program — which entails a separate application and selection process from the long-running Microsoft Research Internship Program — aims to place policy-minded graduate students in computing or related fields in paid internships at Microsoft’s Redmond, WA, campus for 12 weeks this summer. According to the announcement: TPG is charged with exploring how disruptive technologies affect Microsoft’s business outlook and policy landscape in key areas such as Internet Governance, Wireless Spectrum Management, Next Generation Networks, 21st Century Research Universities, […]

NAE Elects its Class of 2012

February 9th, 2012 / in awards / by Erwin Gianchandani

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has just announced the election of 66 new members and 10 foreign associates, including a number of esteemed computing researchers. Among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, “Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to ‘engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature,’ and to the ‘pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education’.” This year’s new members in Section 5 — Computer Science and Engineering are (following the link):

NIST to Fund Pilot Projects Advancing Trusted Identities

February 8th, 2012 / in research horizons, resources / by Erwin Gianchandani

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced last week a new competition to fund pilot projects that accelerate progress toward “improved systems for interoperable, trusted online credentials that go beyond simple user IDs and passwords.” NIST expects to make available about $10 million for the first year of the new multi-year awards, anticipating funding five to 8 projects for up to two years at a rate of $1.25 million to $2 million per project per year. NIST will hold a proposers’ conference on February 15, and initial (“abbreviated”) proposals must be submitted by 5pm EST on March 7. According to the press release:

NSF Releases Report on Cloud Computing

February 7th, 2012 / in policy, research horizons, Research News / by Erwin Gianchandani

The National Science Foundation (NSF) yesterday released a report on its support for cloud computing, describing the outcomes of “investments in cloud computing research, recommendations for research focus and program improvements, and other related recommendations.” Emphasizing the role of cloud computing — “a vital area of national importance that requires further research and development” — the report highlights some of the 125 cloud computing research awards issued by NSF’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorate between 2009 and 2011, spanning areas of architecture, algorithms, big data, security and privacy, green computing, and so on. Among these are the set of awards enabled by a partnership between NSF and Microsoft over […]

Children’s Hospital Boston Launches the CLARITY Challenge

February 6th, 2012 / in research horizons, resources / by Erwin Gianchandani

Late last month, Children’s Hospital Boston announced the launch of the CLARITY Challenge — Children’s Leadership Award for the Reliable Interpretation and appropriate Transmission of Your genomic information — a “competition intended to advance standards for genomic analysis and interpretation and the reporting of clear, actionable results to clinicians and patients.” The winning research team will be announced in October and receive a $25,000 prize. According to the contest website: We are on the threshold of a revolution in patient care. With important insights emerging daily about the genetic basis of disease, and the cost of sequencing an individual’s genome plummeting from over $3 million to $5,000 in only the past decade, the […]

Microsoft Research Unveils “Career Reflections Collection”

February 5th, 2012 / in resources, videos / by Erwin Gianchandani

The following is a special contribution to this blog from Eric Horvitz, Distinguished Scientist at Microsoft Research and member of the CCC Council, and Peter Lee, Managing Director of Microsoft Research Redmond. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Microsoft Research last September, we organized a day of reflection at the Redmond lab where we asked participants to look back and then forward to the next 20 years of computer science, with the goal of providing advice to young scientists. Today we are making available an overview view of highlights from the day of reflection, and also videos from one-on-one interviews. Check out the overview piece after the jump…