Steve Bratt
Encyclopedia
Steven Richard Bratt (born February 10, 1957) is the first Chief Executive Office of the World Wide Web Foundation
and the former CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium
(W3C).
while his father was in the Navy
, the family moved shortly thereafter to Syracuse, New York
. He attended Walberta Park and Cherry Road Elementary Schools and Westhill High School.
Bratt received a B.S. in Geological Sciences from Pennsylvania State University
in 1979. He received his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1985.
Starting in 1985, Bratt led research initiatives at Science Applications International Corporation
and later served as the program manager at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
developing advanced concepts for real-time global sensor monitoring, intelligent data analysis, and international telecommunications. By 1993, Bratt was integrating Web technologies into monitoring systems as a means of data sharing and collaboration. Bratt was a scientific advisor to the U.S. delegation to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland from their start in 1993 through their conclusion in 1996. In 1997, he was named the first Coordinator of the International Data Centre in Vienna, Austria of the preparatory commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
.
(W3C) while also holding the position of Research Scientist within the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
. Founded in 1994 by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee
, the W3C is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web
. The W3C recommends the technical standards that underpin the Web, and that aim to make the Web accessible for all people. Bratt was responsible for strategic and budget planning, coordinating the standards process, annual meetings, legal matters, relations with W3C's member organizations and liaisons with other standards bodies.
-- an international, not-for-profit organization to advance the Web as a medium that empowers people to bring about positive change. Later that year, they secured a $5 million grant over a 5-year period from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
to seed the launch of the Web Foundation. Bratt became Chief Executive Office of the Web Foundation at the end of 2008 and left W3C in July 2009 to lead the Web Foundation on a full-time basis. As CEO, Bratt reports to the Boards of Directors of both the Swiss and U.S.-based Web Foundation organizations, and to the general public. He is responsible for overall management of Web Foundation which includes the vision and mission, strategic planning, program development, fund raising, grant-making, financial management, process development, and legal matters.
World Wide Web Foundation
The World Wide Web Foundation is an organization dedicated to the improvement and availability of the World Wide Web. The formation of the organization was announced on September 14, 2008 by Tim Berners-Lee at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.. The organization launched on November 15, 2009...
and the former CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium
World Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web .Founded and headed by Tim Berners-Lee, the consortium is made up of member organizations which maintain full-time staff for the purpose of working together in the development of standards for the...
(W3C).
Early history
Steve Bratt is the first of son Richard Wiegand and Janet Lewis Bratt. Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
while his father was in the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, the family moved shortly thereafter to Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. He attended Walberta Park and Cherry Road Elementary Schools and Westhill High School.
Bratt received a B.S. in Geological Sciences from Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1979. He received his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1985.
Starting in 1985, Bratt led research initiatives at Science Applications International Corporation
Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC is a FORTUNE 500 scientific, engineering and technology applications company headquartered in the United States with numerous federal, state, and private sector clients...
and later served as the program manager at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military...
developing advanced concepts for real-time global sensor monitoring, intelligent data analysis, and international telecommunications. By 1993, Bratt was integrating Web technologies into monitoring systems as a means of data sharing and collaboration. Bratt was a scientific advisor to the U.S. delegation to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland from their start in 1993 through their conclusion in 1996. In 1997, he was named the first Coordinator of the International Data Centre in Vienna, Austria of the preparatory commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization is an international organization that will be established upon the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, a Convention that outlaws nuclear test explosions. Its seat will be Vienna, Austria...
.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
In 2002, Bratt became the Chief Executive Officer for the World Wide Web ConsortiumWorld Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web .Founded and headed by Tim Berners-Lee, the consortium is made up of member organizations which maintain full-time staff for the purpose of working together in the development of standards for the...
(W3C) while also holding the position of Research Scientist within the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed by the 2003 merger of the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...
. Founded in 1994 by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee
Tim Berners-Lee
Sir Timothy John "Tim" Berners-Lee, , also known as "TimBL", is a British computer scientist, MIT professor and the inventor of the World Wide Web...
, the W3C is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. The W3C recommends the technical standards that underpin the Web, and that aim to make the Web accessible for all people. Bratt was responsible for strategic and budget planning, coordinating the standards process, annual meetings, legal matters, relations with W3C's member organizations and liaisons with other standards bodies.
World Wide Web Foundation (Web Foundation)
In 2008 Bratt collaborated once again with Tim Berners-Lee develop the concept for a new World Wide Web FoundationWorld Wide Web Foundation
The World Wide Web Foundation is an organization dedicated to the improvement and availability of the World Wide Web. The formation of the organization was announced on September 14, 2008 by Tim Berners-Lee at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.. The organization launched on November 15, 2009...
-- an international, not-for-profit organization to advance the Web as a medium that empowers people to bring about positive change. Later that year, they secured a $5 million grant over a 5-year period from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is an American private, non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts....
to seed the launch of the Web Foundation. Bratt became Chief Executive Office of the Web Foundation at the end of 2008 and left W3C in July 2009 to lead the Web Foundation on a full-time basis. As CEO, Bratt reports to the Boards of Directors of both the Swiss and U.S.-based Web Foundation organizations, and to the general public. He is responsible for overall management of Web Foundation which includes the vision and mission, strategic planning, program development, fund raising, grant-making, financial management, process development, and legal matters.