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A Technical History of the SEI

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from <strong>the</strong> government, industry, and academic institutions prominent in computer science and s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

engineering. As conceived, <strong>the</strong> S<strong>of</strong>tware Engineering Institute was to be administered by a<br />

university and chartered as an FFRDC. A model <strong>of</strong> an FFRDC, albeit in o<strong>the</strong>r technologies, was<br />

<strong>the</strong> Lincoln Laboratory, administered by <strong>the</strong> Massachusetts Institute <strong>of</strong> Technology and funded by<br />

<strong>the</strong> DoD. In 1984 <strong>the</strong>re had been no new FFRDCs formed in 20 years.<br />

When <strong>the</strong> competitive process was established, a number <strong>of</strong> universities with expertise in s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

engineering responded with well-conceived proposals. The responding teams from <strong>the</strong> different<br />

institutions were well coordinated, and <strong>the</strong> communities where those institutions resided orchestrated<br />

powerful lobbying campaigns. Carnegie Mellon University did not fall short in attracting<br />

political support from its congressional delegation in Pennsylvania and o<strong>the</strong>r states with academic<br />

institutions allied with Carnegie Mellon University in <strong>the</strong> quest to attract <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong>.<br />

It was <strong>the</strong>n when, as provost <strong>of</strong> CMU, I played a role on behalf <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong>, spearheading <strong>the</strong> lobbying<br />

campaign and leading <strong>the</strong> team <strong>of</strong> computer scientists to put toge<strong>the</strong>r a strong proposal and<br />

assembling a meaningful team <strong>of</strong> computer scientists and technologists who would form <strong>the</strong> starting<br />

nucleus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong>. A key part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> proposal was a strong board <strong>of</strong> visitors, made <strong>of</strong> prominent<br />

people with very strong reputations, from universities (o<strong>the</strong>r than CMU), government, and<br />

industry. The proposed acting director <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> was a respected computer scientist and s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

engineer who was to head <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Computer Science at CMU. After <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> was<br />

launched and a permanent director was found, <strong>the</strong> acting director was to return to his academic<br />

position. Ultimately he became <strong>the</strong> Dean <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> School <strong>of</strong> Computer Science, formed in 1988<br />

from computer-related disciplines at CMU: <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Computer Science, <strong>the</strong> Robotics<br />

Institute, <strong>the</strong> Language Translation Center, precursor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> current Language Technology Institute,<br />

and o<strong>the</strong>r related units.<br />

After <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> was granted to CMU, key members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> institute were hired from inside CMU and<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r institutions, including industry and government. Programs responding to <strong>the</strong> charter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>SEI</strong> were formed and a number <strong>of</strong> initiatives were started, including a strong Industrial Affiliates<br />

Program and an Educational Program to confer a Master <strong>of</strong> Science in S<strong>of</strong>tware Engineering. This<br />

MS in S<strong>of</strong>tware Engineering, which served as a model in <strong>the</strong> country and abroad, was eventually<br />

transferred to <strong>the</strong> Computer Science Department on campus and is now a successful program in<br />

<strong>the</strong> Institute for S<strong>of</strong>tware Research (ISR) in <strong>the</strong> School <strong>of</strong> Computer Science.<br />

The <strong>SEI</strong> started its operations in December 1984. The first contract for <strong>the</strong> first five years, 1985-<br />

1990, was funded with $100 million. The contract was renewed in 1990 for ano<strong>the</strong>r five years<br />

with $150 million, and again in 1995 with <strong>the</strong> same amount. Eventually a permanent director was<br />

attracted after a national search. After a year <strong>of</strong> operations under <strong>the</strong> leadership <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> new director,<br />

some difficulties arose owing in part to problems <strong>of</strong> assimilation and different cultures between<br />

<strong>the</strong> director, its members, and CMU. The director resigned and I, <strong>the</strong> provost, assumed <strong>the</strong><br />

acting directorship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong>, while continuing to direct <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> university, but closely advised<br />

by Larry Druffel. After equilibrium was established and <strong>the</strong> momentum <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> was restored,<br />

Larry, at <strong>the</strong> time an executive in a s<strong>of</strong>tware company in California (who had played a key<br />

role in <strong>the</strong> original conception <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> while at <strong>the</strong> DoD), was attracted as director in 1986. Under<br />

Larry, <strong>the</strong> <strong>SEI</strong> was propelled to a new trajectory toward becoming a national resource in s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />

engineering as conceived in its charter. He served for 10 years, and moved to ano<strong>the</strong>r position<br />

<strong>of</strong> leadership in ano<strong>the</strong>r institution in ano<strong>the</strong>r part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country. A few years ago he returned<br />

CMU/<strong>SEI</strong>-2016-SR-027 | SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE | CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY<br />

Distribution Statement A: Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited<br />

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