Active 1993 - 2010; Emeritus 2010
Dr. Francine Berman came to UC San Diego in 1984 as an Assistant Professor in what was then Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), later becoming part of the Computer Science and Engineering department. At UC San Diego, Dr. Berman served as Professor in Computer Science and Engineering, Director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), and Jacobs School HPC Chair from 2001 to 2009. Her research focused on individual and group performance of computational agents in distributed (grid) systems, a precursor to today’s work in cloud and IOT systems. Her later work in data cyberinfrastructure, stewardship and preservation at SDSC focused on the diverse infrastructure, economic, and social challenges to be addressed to ensure that data is accessible now and in the future.
After retiring from UC San Diego in 2009, she became VP for Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) until 2012. From 2012 to 2021, Berman was Hamilton Distinguished Professor at RPI and co-founder of an international organization (the Research Data Alliance) focused on the development of global data research infrastructure. Since 2021, Dr. Berman has been Director of Public Interest Technology and Stuart Rice Honorary Research Professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where she has created and is leading a campus-wide Public Interest Technology Initiative.
Looking back, a key contribution during her time at UC San Diego was her leadership as Director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), a national supercomputer center. At SDSC, she worked closely with Brian Schottlaender, the University Librarian, creating a unique relationship and projects that leveraged the assets of university libraries, research infrastructure, and the research community. Together, they worked on projects around the stewardship and preservation of research data both at UC San Diego and via a network of national universities, supported by the Library of Congress. During Berman’s tenure and her investment in community leadership at SDSC, SDSC created pioneering national efforts in data-focused infrastructure and data-intensive science.
Advice she lends toward current faculty who want to make the most out of their experience at UC San Diego is to tap the many assets of campus and work across traditional boundaries on things you care about, and to enjoy the surfcam that is hopefully still up at SDSC. Berman is grateful for the opportunity at UC San Diego to embrace leadership opportunities, meaningful work, and collaborate with outstanding colleagues and grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Irwin Jacobs for their generous gift of an endowed Chair in her name.