NCWIT is excited to name Dr. Klara Nahrstedt, the Grainger Distinguished Chair of Engineering Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Director of the Coordinated Science Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as the recipient of the 2024 Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award.
“Klara is an outstanding researcher and mentor to her own PhD students and PhD students in a wider circle around her. She has built a highly successful research group, leading to many pioneering directions in the area of multimedia systems and networking, as well as highly successful researchers in leading academic and industrial organizations and companies,” one recommender wrote.
Dr. Nahrstedt has mentored and graduated 36 PhD students, with many going on to become faculty members at major research universities as well as leaders in their respective research communities. Her research interests are directed toward:
In addition, Dr. Nahrstedt is an ACM Fellow, AAAS Fellow, IEEE Fellow, and National Academy of Engineering member who has won many best paper awards and has 35,000 citations, as well as dozens of research-based awards. As a mentor, she supports students across undergraduate, graduate, and post-doc programs to help them find their own paths and enjoy completing their research degrees. Her inclusive advising practices center around creating a sense of community and belonging for diverse mentees. She will be honored at the 2024 NCWIT Summit in Kansas City, Mo., and will also be awarded $10,000 to her institution to continue her important work.
The Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award is sponsored by the NCWIT Board of Directors and recognizes faculty members from non-profit institutions who distinguish themselves through outstanding research and excellent graduate mentoring, as well as those who recruit, encourage, and promote women and minorities in computing. It is given in memory of Mary Jean Harrold and David Notkin, to honor their outstanding research, graduate mentoring, and diversity contributions.
