I was going to ask a follow-on to Sally-Ann Williams speech: "What can universities do to enable computing to help the nation?". But David anticipated the question in his speech. So I only need to ask how do we enable that better society?
This again, got harder, when he anticipated that question, listed what we should do: stick to the fundamentals, push boundaries, be bolder, keep doing pure and applied R&D, build partnerships with government and industry, collaborate better.
Fortunately there were plenty of questions. Q: What to ask the next PM? Answer: create common vision for the nation. Q: How does expert advice cut through? A: Present the truth and leave without opinion
David mentioned the power of technology in everyday life. I was confronted by this today when the robot cleaning the floor in Woolworth's talked to me.
All ANU computing alumni, past staff and friends are invited to dinner, 29 April 2022. Nominations of Alumni laureates, and donations for scholarships, are also being sought. If you don't know anything about computing at ANU, or think you know everything, then check out David Hawking 's book, The History of ANU Computing (free online & I get a mention on page 139).
"Fifty years ago, 260 students enrolled in an introductory course called Computer Science B01. Nowadays, we typically have over 1200 full time students. In between, we grew from a sub-department of the Department of Statistics to our own department (1976), and now a School. Just as they did four and five decades ago, our alumni continue to blaze new trails across disciplines throughout Australia, and around the globe.
In recent years, our researchers led the global scientific community in the race to identify variants and develop vaccines for COVID19, twice set computational world records opening new frontiers for energy and medicine, and pioneered computer vision software that will improve safety for helicopter rescue missions and allow robots to make decisions about new scenarios much the way a human being does.
Please join us on 29 April for a celebration of early and recent accomplishments, and a discussion of future direction. This is our first opportunity to host a gala event since 2019, and we are working hard to make it a memorable one for you and for the computer science community.
It's not too late to nominate alumni laureates for the occasion — one from each of the past five decades — to help us celebrate this milestone and consider how taking stock of our past accomplishments should inform and inspire future endeavours.
To celebrate the gold anniversary of 50 years of Computing at ANU, we seek to raise a total of $50,000 to provide scholarship support to encourage a more diverse student population, including women, rural and remote populations.
Make a donation
A generous anonymous donor has offered to match gifts over $100 and under $25,000. So if you can’t be with us 29 April, consider sending a donation and be with us in spirit. Donations of $50 or more will earn you a 50 years in Computing T-shirt — the same one given to gala attendees.
Alumni laureates
It's not too late to nominate alumni laureates for the occasion — one from each of the past five decades — to help us celebrate this milestone and consider how taking stock of our past accomplishments should inform and inspire future endeavours.
Please reflect upon your ANU days and nominate someone who can contribute to this conversation in a way that reflects your experience and your outlook. We want and need your input on who should be featured at this milestone event."
ps: Apologies to JRRT for A Long-expected Party. ;-)
