New Lecture Series Begins with Computer and Information Science and Engineering

Farnam Jahanian, the assistant director for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation, will present the first lecture in the College of Engineering’s Arlie Fisher Lecture Series. Jahanian will present his lecture, titled “Pillars of Societal Innovation: Research and Education in Computer,” on Friday, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m. in 2286 Bell Engineering Center.

In this lecture, Jahanian will describe the CISE Directorate priorities and strategic initiatives at the National Science Foundation that promise to accelerate the pace of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations, lead to advances that are key drivers of economic competitiveness, and are crucial to addressing the grand challenges that face society today.

Jahanian guides the CISE in its mission to uphold the nation's leadership in computer and information science and engineering through its support for fundamental and transformative advances that are a key driver of economic competitiveness and crucial to achieving national priorities. Jahanian oversees the CISE budget of over $600 million, directing programs and initiatives that support ambitious long-term research and innovation, foster broad interdisciplinary collaborations, and contribute to the development of a computing and information technology workforce with skills essential to success in the increasingly competitive, global market. He also serves as co-chair of the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology, providing overall coordination for the activities of 14 government agencies.

The Arlie Fisher Lecture series commemorates the life and work of Arlie Fisher, who received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1949. Fisher, who worked for NASA until 1974, was one of the engineers who worked on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. A lifelong learner and researcher, Fisher spent two years in Fiji as a Peace Corps volunteer after retiring from NASA. The lecture series, which is funded by an estate gift from his family, honors his devotion to the pursuit of knowledge.