2004 Summer Welcome and
University Awards Ceremony
June 18, 2004
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Professor Kathryn McKinley
receives her faculty award. |
On June 18, 2004, the Austin Center for Advanced Studies held its annual “Summer Welcome and University Awards Ceremony,” a unique occasion that celebrates IBM’s university research partnerships. In attendance were over fifty professors, students, and IBM employees from across the Austin site. Most university and IBM attendees came from the Austin area, but some out-of-town invitees phoned in for the event in order to participate long distance. The summer welcome was the perfect opportunity to announce the new faculty research and student fellowship awards for the 2004-2005 academic year and to kick off another year of collaboration between IBM and selected academic institutions the world over.
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| Joselyn Torres is recognized for his GEM fellowship. |
First on the agenda was a brief address from Michael Rosenfield, director of Austin Research Lab. He commented on the significance of the company’s commitment to university relationships, pointing out just a few of their mutual benefits. Universities receive much needed funding and equipment, and students who hold jobs as interns and co-ops are given valuable experience working in the “real world.” The collaboration is equally as important for IBM, as it gives a chance for IBM to collaborate in leading-edge research with universities across the world. Furthermore, IBM recruiting efforts are reinforced; a graduating student is more likely to accept an offer of employment if he or she has already experienced IBM as a student intern or co-op.
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| (l-r) Carole Gottleib, Manager, AIX Performance, gives Pat Teller and Diana Villa their respective faculty and PhD fellowship awards. |
After Rosenfield’s short introduction, faculty awards worth approximately $1 million were announced. Letters officially notifying professors of the grants they would receive were handed out along with this year’s official Austin CAS Brochure and Conference Proceedings from February’s Faculty Conference. In addition, all winners were given this year’s Austin CAS T-shirts featuring the Texas Capitol Building at sunset. Faculty winners present included Kathryn McKinley and Calvin Lin from the University of Texas at Austin. Pat Teller drove in from the University of Texas at El Paso to attend the event. Also recognized were 2004-2005 fellowship winners Diana Villa from the University of Texas at El Paso and Joselyn Torres from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, winners of a PhD fellowship and a GEM fellowship, respectively. Considering the highly competitive nature of the faculty and student awards, those present at the summer welcome had every reason to be proud of their accomplishments.
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| Pizza and Peace |
After awards were announced, the atmosphere of the event became even more festive. University faculty, students, and IBM mentors and managers had the chance to mingle amongst themselves and eat pizza for lunch. All in all, the summer welcome was a wonderful way to celebrate the fruitfulness and innovation that have stemmed from IBM’s university relationships in the past and to encourage the promise of continued CAS achievement in the future.
-By Emily Seen, 2004 Austin CAS Summer Intern
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