Sharon Burks Wins Lazarus Award
Today is Martin Luther King Day, and like almost every university in the nation, Carnegie Mellon has a full slate of celebratory activities on campus and in the local community. During Jared Cohon’s tenure as President, CMU’s approach to MLK Day has been unique. For one thing, classes remain in session for the morning, in contrast to most universities cancelling classes for the day. The practice has symbolic value, based on the idea that Martin Luther King’s life is best celebrated by combining work, introspection, and action. This is also the day that the President gives his “State of Diversity” address, which is essentially a progress report on the university’s diversity efforts.
One of the nice things that happens at the end of the President’s address is the announcement of winner of the Barbara Lazarus Award for Culture and Climate. This award is presented annually to “an individual or group that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and made substantial contributions to improving the culture and climate in the Carnegie Mellon University community.”
This year I am very happy to say that three members of the CS community were nominated for this award: Sharon Burks, Carol Frieze, and Randy Pausch. The fact that three of the five nominees are from CS is really something that we should be proud of. I’m even happier to announce that Sharon Burks is this year’s winner!
As many of us who have worked and lived in the Computer Science Department already know, Sharon is often the first, last, and most important person you meet. We routinely joke that she is the person who actually runs the place, far beyond her titles of Associate Department Head and Assistant Dean would indicate. But the joke is funny because it carries a great deal of truth. And now, as she prepares for retirement later this year, it seems fitting to recognize her with this prestigious award.
Yay, Sharon!
Peter Lee @ January 21, 2008