Distinguished Lecture: A View From NSF

Abstract: I have spent the last three years on loan from Georgia Tech working at the National Science Foundation, first as Division Director for Computer and Network Systems, then as Acting Assistant Director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and for the past nine months as Senior Science and Engineering Advisor in the Office of the Director. In my current role, I am responsible for the Future of Intelligence portfolio across the agency, spanning research, infrastructure, education/workforce, and translation. In this talk, I will discuss the evolution of NSF’s investments in this area, along with selected stories from my time at Georgia Tech and at the agency.

Bio: Dr. Ellen W. Zegura is the Fleming Chair Professor in the School of Computer Science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She also serves as a Senior Science and Engineering Advisor for the Future of Intelligence in the Office of the Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation. Dr. Zegura is a Fellow of both IEEE and ACM and has served as an elected member of the Computing Research Association (CRA) Board, including serving as Board Chair. She earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science and electrical engineering, as well as an M.S. and D.Sc. in Computer Science, all from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Zegura’s research focuses on computer networking, wireless and mobile networks, and using computing to address social challenges. Her work includes Internet architecture, disruption-tolerant networks, and improving technology access and connectivity for underserved and rural communities.