Two U of A faculty members and three former students have recently been inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Computing.

Rajiv Sabherwal, Karl Schubert, Adriana López Graham, Philip Huff and Maiga Parker were all part of the newest class and were inducted by U of A alumnus David Douglas, who is the president of the academy.

Pioneer Award recipients: Left to right: AAoC President David Douglas, AAoC Founders Dr. Robert (Bob) Crisp and George Knight.

Douglas received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in engineering from the U of A, serving as a faculty for 42 years. He retired in August 2017 as emeritus professor of the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

The Arkansas Academy of Computing (AAoC) Class of 2024:

• Rajiv Sabherwal, Walton College Distinguished Professor of information systems and Edwin & Kerlee Bradberry endowed chair
   
• Karl Schubert, professor of practice and associate director of data science for the U of A College of Engineering, Walton College and Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
   
• Adriana López Graham, chief information officer for Rollease Acmeda and Walton College alumna
   
• Philip Huff, assistant professor of cybersecurity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and College of Engineering alumnus
   
• Maiga Parker, director of business intelligence and analytics at Dillard’s and Walton College alumna

Pioneer Awards were also presented to AAoC founders Robert (Bob) Crisp, retired emeritus professor of computer science and engineering, who served over 42 years at the U of A, and businessman George Knight, who helped install the first computers at Walmart in 1970.

Mission

The AAoC was established in 2006 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing computing in Arkansas through five key initiatives:

• Recognition of significant contributors to the state's computing industry
• Scholarship support for students in Arkansas college computing programs
• Advocacy for computing and IT education at all levels
• Promotion of professionalism in the computing field
• Collaboration with diverse partners to achieve the academy's goals

Preserving History

The induction ceremony is part of the AAoC’s History Project initiative. This project aims to preserve the stories and artifacts related to the founding of the computing industry in Arkansas. Many of the state's early computing pioneers had no idea they would build careers and make significant contributions in this emerging field. Their stories are fascinating, informative and inspirational, offering valuable insights into the development of Arkansas' technology sector.

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About the Sam M. Walton College of Business: Founded in 1926, the Sam M. Walton College of Business stands as one of the largest colleges at the University of Arkansas, serving over 9,800 students across undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. The college holds AACSB accreditation and consistently ranks among the top business schools in the United States. Walton College ranks 25th for its undergraduate business program among public colleges in the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 national rankings. Its undergraduate supply chain management program is recognized as the top program in North America by Gartner. In 2023, The Princeton Review included Walton’s M.B.A. program in its Best Business Schools list for On-Campus M.B.A. Programs.