Northeastern University professor Mitchell Wand of the College of Computer and Information Science has been announced as a 2007 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Fellow. Professor Wand was recognized with the prestigious award for his contributions to type theory and program analysis.

“I am honored to be recognized in this way,” said Wand. “Programming languages are the most fundamental tool in computer science, and I am happy to think that my work has made it easier for programmers to write better software. It is also a recognition of the extraordinary team we have at Northeastern.”

Created in 1993, the ACM Fellows Program recognizes and honors outstanding ACM members for their achievements in computer science and information technology. A small group of ACM Fellows are chosen each year to serve as distinguished colleagues to whom the ACM and its members look for guidance and leadership as the world of information technology evolves. Wand, an ACM member since 1967, is one of 37 Fellows chosen this year.

Hehas been a member of the College of Computer Science faculty since 1985. His career has been striking for the breadth of his work, which has included important results ranging over mathematical theories of language semantics, models of parallelism and concurrency, and language design. In one of his important papers, Wand showed how advanced type theory could be applied to object-oriented languages.

He subsequently co-led a team that produced one of the first completely verified implementations of a programming language — a topic that has recently enjoyed resurgence due to renewed interest in securing critical software infrastructure against cyber attack.

Wand has also been a leader in computer programming education. Essentials of Programming Languages, the textbook he co-authored with his long-time friend and colleague, Professor Dan Friedman of Indiana University, has caused a radical shift in the way the topic is taught. The text is now entering its third edition.

The ACM will formally recognize Wand and the 2007 Fellows at its annual Awards Banquet on June 21, 2008, in San Francisco, CA.

The ACM, the principal academic organization for the computing field worldwide, was established in 1947 with the creation of the first stored-program digital computer.

For more information on Professor Wand’s research, please contact Samantha Fodrowski at 617-373-5427 or at s.fodrowski@neu.edu.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.