Short Biography
Maria Klawe is currently Dean of Engineering and a
professor of Computer Science at Princeton University. She moved to Princeton
from the University of British Columbia where she served as Dean of Science
from 1998 to 2002, Vice-President of Student and Academic Services from
1995 to 1998, and Head of the Department of Computer Science from 1988
to 1995. Prior to UBC, Maria spent eight years with IBM Research in California,
and two years at the University of Toronto. She received her Ph.D. (1977)
and B.Sc. (1973) in Mathematics from the University of Alberta.
Maria has made significant research contributions
in several areas of mathematics and computer science including functional
analysis, discrete mathematics, theoretical computer science, and interactive-multimedia
for mathematics education. She was the founder and director of the EGEMS
project, a collaborative project on the design and use of computer games
in enhancing mathematics education for grades 4 to 9.
During the decade from 1993 to 2002 EGEMS developed
several innovative and successful prototype games, and did seminal work
in identifying important factors in the design of effective educational
software. EGEMS research also studied the role of gender in technology-based
learning environments and identified significant gender differences in
how students interact with computers and software. This research was extended
under the auspices of the NSERC-IBM Chair for Women in Science and Engineering
that Maria held from 1997 to 2002, and the SWIFT (Supporting Women in Information
Technology) project on how to attract and retain women in information technology
careers.
Maria was one of the founders and is currently Chair
of the Board of Silicon Chalk, a Vancouver-based company developing software
to support interactive learning and collaboration in classes where each
student has a wirelessly communicating laptop computer.
Maria has served on many boards and advisory councils,
including the ACM Council (98-00, Vice President 2000-2002, President 2002-present),
the Board of Trustees of the American Mathematical Society (92-97), and
the Board of Computing Research Association (90-96). Maria was elected
as a Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery in 1995, and received
the Vancouver YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Science and Technology
in 1997. Her awards in 2001 included Wired Woman Pioneer, Canadian New
Media Educator of the Year, BC Science Council Champion of the Year and
an honorary doctorate from Ryerson University.
Maria likes to spends her spare time with her two children (Janek, 23 and Sasha, 20), and husband, Nick Pippenger (a theoretical computer scientist). She is also a dedicated watercolor artist, runner, kayaker and electric guitarist.