University Professor M. Tamer Özsu has received the ACM Presidential Award for long-standing and significant contributions to the computing field and its scientific community in general, as well as to ACM in particular. He is one of seven individuals recognized for exemplary service to the computing field.
The ACM Presidential Award is given at the discretion of the ACM President to individuals whose contributions in computing fall within the goals of the ACM.
M. Tamer Özsu with the ACM Book series he launched in 2013. By 2019, the series had published 28 major books with another 30 under contract. These manuscripts and books have educated young and veteran researchers alike on the latest emerging topics.
In addition to his seminal research work on large-scale distributed data management and his emphasis on system building targeting grand societal challenges, University Professor Özsu has truly dedicated himself to the education of the younger generation, far beyond his own students. The books he has co-authored, the encyclopedias he has co-edited, and the ACM Book series he has curated have all been definitive resources of fundamental and application-oriented data science knowledge, nurturing and inspiring young researchers and practitioners for decades.
University Professor Özsu has also been a very impactful ACM volunteer leader, both at the level of his home special interest group — SIGMOD — and at the horizontal level of the entire ACM. His service to the ACM Publications Board, especially his introduction of the novel ACM Books series, has left its mark on the overall strategy and portfolio of ACM publications.
About M. Tamer Özsu
University Professor Özsu has received many prestigious awards and international academic acclaim over his career. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association, and the Balsillie School of International Affairs. He is also a Life Fellow of Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is an elected member of the Science Academy, Türkiye, and a member of Sigma Xi.
He received the 2024 IEEE TCDE Education Award, 2022 IEEE Innovation in Societal Infrastructure Award, 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from CS Can | Info Can, and in 2020 was named a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University, a title awarded to scholars of the highest international reputation. In 2021, he was named a Cheriton Faculty Fellow for the third time.
About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field’s challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession’s collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.