Computing and the National Science Foundation, 1950-2016 : building a foundation for modern computing / Peter A. Freeman, W. Richards Adrion, William Aspray.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Freeman, Peter, 1941- author.

Adrion, W. Richards, author.

Aspray, William, author.

Contributor:

Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

Series:

ACM books ; #31.

ACM books, 2374-6769 ; #31

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

National Science Foundation (U.S.)--History.

National Science Foundation (U.S.).

Information technology--Research--United States--History.

Information technology.

Computer science--Research--United States--History.

Computer science.

Computer science--Research.

History.

Information technology--Research.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxiv, 407 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), map ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

[New York, New York] : Association for Computing Machinery, [2019]

Summary:

This organizational history relates the role of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the development of modern computing. Drawing upon new and existing oral histories, extensive use of NSF documents, and the experience of two of the authors as senior managers, this book describes how NSF's programmatic activities originated and evolved to become the primary source of funding for fundamental research in computing and information technologies. The book traces how NSF's support has provided facilities and education for computing usage by all scientific disciplines, aided in institution and professional community building, supported fundamental research in computer science and allied disciplines, and led the efforts to broaden participation in computing by all segments of society. Today, the research and infrastructure facilitated by NSF computing programs are significant economic drivers of American society and industry. For example, NSF supported work that led to the first widelyused web browser, Netscape; sponsored the creation of algorithms at the core of the Google search engine; facilitated the growth of the public Internet; and funded research on the scientific basis for countless other applications and technologies. NSF has advanced the development of human capital and ideas for future advances in computing and its applications. This account is the first comprehensive coverage of NSF's role in the extraordinary growth and expansion of modern computing and its use. It will appeal to historians of computing, policy makers and leaders in government and academia, and individuals interested in the history and development of computing and the NSF.

Contents:

part I. Chronological history. 1. 1950-1974 : science information, computing facilities, education, and basic research / W. Richards Adrion

2. 1974-1986 : CER, CSNET, NSFNET, and the founding of CISE / W. Richards Adrion

3. 1986-1998 : the new directorate in a period of computer science expansion / Peter A. Freeman

4. 1999-2006 : broadening computer science with new initiatives / Peter A. Freeman

5. 2007-2016 : the growing centrality of CISE to NSF / William Aspray

part II. Selected subject studies. 6. Pre-CISE computing facilities and education programs / William Aspray

7. Pre-CISE computing research / William Aspray

8. Information technology research / W. Richards Adrion

9. Networking research and deployment / W. Richards Adrion, Peter A. Freeman

10. NSF support of high-performance computation / Peter A. Freeman

11. CISE's role in broadening participation in computing / William Aspray

12. What does an AD/CISE do? / Peter A. Freeman

part III. Summary and conclusions. 13. Summary and conclusions / Peter A. Freeman, W. Richards Adrion

Appendixes. Appendix A. Computing organizations at NSF / W. Richards Adrion

Appendix B. CISE oral histories list

Appendix C. Short biographies

Appendix D. CISE History Archive (CHA)

Appendix E. Abbreviations and acronyms

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

Other Format:

Online version: Freeman, Peter. Computing and the National Science Foundation, 1950-2016.

ISBN:

9781450372763

1450372775

9781450372770

OCLC:

1129146194

Publisher Number:

99983404880