Maria Klawe

Maria Klawe is a renowned computer scientist and academic administrator, currently serving as the president of Harvey Mudd College. She has made significant contributions to the field of computer science, particularly in the areas of human-computer interaction and computer graphics, while working with notable institutions such as University of British Columbia and University of Toronto. Klawe's work has been influenced by prominent figures in the field, including Donald Knuth and Alan Kay. Her research has been published in esteemed journals such as Journal of the ACM and Communications of the ACM, and she has presented at conferences like SIGGRAPH and ACM CHI.

● Early Life and Education

Maria Klawe was born in 1951 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in a family that valued education and encouraged her to pursue her interests in mathematics and science. She attended University of Toronto for her undergraduate studies, where she was exposed to the works of Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy. Klawe then moved to University of Alberta for her graduate studies, earning her Ph.D. in computer science under the supervision of Nicholas Pippenger. Her graduate work was influenced by the research of Edsger W. Dijkstra and C.A.R. Hoare.

● Career

Klawe's career in computer science has spanned over four decades, with appointments at prestigious institutions such as University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and Princeton University. She has worked alongside notable computer scientists, including Robert Tarjan and Ingo Wegener, and has made significant contributions to the development of algorithms and data structures. Klawe has also served on the boards of organizations such as Microsoft Research and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, and has been a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her leadership experience includes serving as the dean of engineering at Princeton University and as the president of Harvey Mudd College, where she has worked to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.

● Research and Publications

Klawe's research has focused on human-computer interaction, computer graphics, and algorithms, with applications in areas such as computer-aided design and scientific visualization. She has published numerous papers in top-tier conferences and journals, including SIGGRAPH, ACM CHI, and Journal of the ACM. Her work has been influenced by the research of Ivan Sutherland and David Marr, and she has collaborated with prominent researchers such as Jitendra Malik and Michael Jordan. Klawe has also supervised the research of many graduate students, including Fei-Fei Li and Daphne Koller, who have gone on to become leading researchers in their own right.

● Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Klawe has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to computer science and education. She has been awarded the National Science Foundation's Presidential Young Investigator Award and the Association for Computing Machinery's Distinguished Service Award. Klawe has also been recognized for her efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, receiving the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Public Engagement with Science Award and the National Center for Women & Information Technology's Sylvia Charp Award. She has been elected as a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

● Personal Life

Klawe is married to Nick Pippenger, a computer scientist and mathematician, and they have two children together. She is an avid hiker and skier, and enjoys spending time outdoors in her free time. Klawe has also been involved in various philanthropic efforts, including supporting organizations such as the Girls Who Code and the National Math and Science Initiative. She has been recognized for her leadership and vision, receiving the Harvard University's Harvard College's Harvard College Professorship and the University of California, Berkeley's Chancellor's Award for Public Service. Klawe's work continues to inspire and influence new generations of computer scientists and educators, including Salman Khan and Andrew Ng.