ABI-ONE ghc program v14.indd - Grace Hopper Celebration of ...

About Tracy Camp
[ ]
Welcome from the 2010 General Chair
Tracy Camp is a Professor of
Computer Science at the Colorado
School of Mines. She is the
Founder and Director of the Toilers,
an active ad hoc networks research
group. Her current research
interests include the credibility of
ad hoc network simulation studies
and the use of wireless sensor
networks in geosystems. Her
articles have been cited over 2,500
times (as of June 2008).
Dr. Camp has received 19 grants
from the National Science Foundation.
This funding has produced 12
software packages that have been
requested from (and shared with)
more than 1400 researchers in 69
countries (as of December 2009).
Dr. Camp is an ACM Distinguished
Lecturer, an IEEE Senior Member,
and an ACM Distinguished
Scientist. In December 2007,
Dr. Camp received the Board of
Trustees Outstanding Faculty
Award at the Colorado School of
Mines, an award that has only
been given five times between
1998-2007. Dr. Camp takes great
pleasure in her involvement with
CRA-W, NCWIT, N2Women, and
ACM-W.
Dr. Camp shares her life with
Max (born in 2000), Emma (born
in 2003), her husband (Glen), and
four pets (three cats Scully/Sunset/
Sparkle and dog Jessie). All eight
of them are vegetarians who
tremendously enjoy living in the
foothills of the Rockies.
Tracy camp
In July 2009, while drinking a lovely glass of red wine, I recall sitting with a number of truly
awesome women as we discussed the theme for the 2010 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women
in Computing. Some ideas proposed stimulated further discussion, while others produced a
number of giggles. But, as soon as the idea for Collaborating Across Boundaries was proposed
(thanks Lori!), we knew our job was done.
Do you collaborate across boundaries? Maybe you work on an international project, collaborating with
amazing researchers in Germany. Or perhaps you do research on an inter-disciplinary project, collaborating
with environmental engineers. Or maybe you reach outside your ivory tower and collaborate
with kids in the 5th grade. I actually collaborate across boundaries in all three of these examples, and
they are a huge part of why I love my job so much. I look forward to hearing how you collaborate
across boundaries over the next three days!
I am very honored to be the General Chair for the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) this year, as
GHC 2010 is our TENTH Celebration. With delight, I’ve watched how the conference has evolved
over the years (yes, I’ve been to EVERY Grace Hopper Celebration). Initially GHC occurred every
three years, then every two years, and now it is yearly. In 1994, the first GHC was a one-track conference,
and the doors had to be closed at 500 people; this year we are expecting over 1800 and have 10
tracks. With so many offerings, choosing what to attend will be a very fun, but very difficult, process!
While I have many treasured memories of attending GHC over the years, let me share two. At the very
first GHC, held in June 1994 in D.C., I had the immense pleasure of meeting Anita Borg, the founder
of Systers and co-founder of GHC. If she noticed my sweaty palm (oh my, how I was nervous to meet
her!), she was tactful and didn’t remark upon it. I still have the detailed notes that I took of the many
inspiring researchers who presented at GHC 1994, one of whom is a keynote speaker this year, Barbara
Liskov, and many others who continue to be involved in GHC each year, e.g., Maria Klawe, Fran
Allen, and Janie Irwin. Attending GHC 1994, hearing the fabulous presentations, and meeting Anita
Borg immensely changed my world!
The second memory I treasure occurred in Hyannis, Massachusetts in September 2000. It was my
son’s first trip, he was seven months old, and my mom tagged along to assist. What I recall clearly is
the number of people Max got to meet. He was like a rock star at the event. I can’t imagine another
technical conference that opens its arms to include children like GHC. And now we have free
childcare, helping to make the conference even more unique.
While I worked as the General Chair for GHC 2010, many great people strove to create the excellent
program that we will enjoy. Their tireless efforts were instrumental in organizing this conference,
and, for that, I thank everybody on the Conference Leadership page. There are also several exceptional
women at the Anita Borg Institute who have my immense gratitude: Telle, Deanna, Jody, Jerri,
Caroline, Kathy, Kim, Rachelle, BJ, and Christine. I am indebted in various ways to each of you!
Tracy Camp
General Chair, 2010 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
2 Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology | Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing