W. Keith Edwards
Encyclopedia
W. Keith Edwards is an associate professor in the School of Interactive Computing
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
(Georgia Tech).
Edwards’ research lies generally in the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). He has chaired and published papers in top-tier academic conferences in these fields.
, Virginia
, USA
and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee
, USA
. After finishing High School, Edwards completed a B.S.
in Information and Computer Science
, a M.S.
in Information and Computer Science
and a Ph.D.
in Computer Science
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
. During his graduate career, Edwards interned at Sun Microsystems
and Olivetti Research Center
.
As a graduate student, Edwards was influenced by Saul Greenberg, whose work in Computer Supported Cooperative Work
spoke to his own interest of understanding how what is written into the infrastructure of a software systems and its services effects the human interaction possibilities. Edwards’ graduate research culminated with his dissertation, titled “Coordination Infrastructure in Collaborative Systems.”
, initially as a member of research staff and ending his career there as Manager of the Ubiquitous Computing group. While at PARC Edwards wrote Core Jini, an authoritative text for implementing Jini based systems.
During his tenure as manager, his group conducted a study of iTunes
use, and the zeroconf
discovery protocols it relies on, in the workplace whose results were reported in The Washington Post
, the San Francisco Chronicle
, and other major news agencies. A key finding from this study was that discovery protocols do not just connect content, but connect people as well.
Since arriving at Georgia Tech, Edwards has founded and continues to lead the Pixi Lab. Research from the Pixi lab has received honors including a CHI
Best Paper award. Edwards has also been invited to be Technical Program Chair for the ACM CHI
conference 2010 and is currently serving as a member of Microsoft
Corporation’s Trustworthy Computing Advisory Board.
Georgia Institute of Technology School of Interactive Computing
The School of Interactive Computing is an academic unit located within the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology . It conducts both research and teaching activities related to interactive computing at the undergraduate and graduate levels...
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
(Georgia Tech).
Edwards’ research lies generally in the fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW). He has chaired and published papers in top-tier academic conferences in these fields.
Early life and education
Edwards was born in FredericksburgFredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After finishing High School, Edwards completed a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Information and Computer Science
Information and Computer Science
Information and Computer Science or Computer and Information Science is a field that emphasizes both computing and informatics, upholding the strong association between the fields of information sciences and computer sciences and treating computers as a tool rather than a field.-Computing...
, a M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Information and Computer Science
Information and Computer Science
Information and Computer Science or Computer and Information Science is a field that emphasizes both computing and informatics, upholding the strong association between the fields of information sciences and computer sciences and treating computers as a tool rather than a field.-Computing...
and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. During his graduate career, Edwards interned at Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
and Olivetti Research Center
Olivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
.
As a graduate student, Edwards was influenced by Saul Greenberg, whose work in Computer Supported Cooperative Work
Computer supported cooperative work
The term computer-supported cooperative work was first coined by Irene Greif and Paul M. Cashman in 1984, at a workshop attended by individuals interested in using technology to support people in their work. At about this same time, in 1987 Dr...
spoke to his own interest of understanding how what is written into the infrastructure of a software systems and its services effects the human interaction possibilities. Edwards’ graduate research culminated with his dissertation, titled “Coordination Infrastructure in Collaborative Systems.”
Career
Upon receiving his Ph.D. Edwards spent nine years in the Computer Science Laboratory at Xerox PARCXerox PARC
PARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California, with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems....
, initially as a member of research staff and ending his career there as Manager of the Ubiquitous Computing group. While at PARC Edwards wrote Core Jini, an authoritative text for implementing Jini based systems.
During his tenure as manager, his group conducted a study of iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
use, and the zeroconf
Zeroconf
Zero configuration networking , is a set of techniques that automatically creates a usable Internet Protocol network without manual operator intervention or special configuration servers....
discovery protocols it relies on, in the workplace whose results were reported in The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, and other major news agencies. A key finding from this study was that discovery protocols do not just connect content, but connect people as well.
Since arriving at Georgia Tech, Edwards has founded and continues to lead the Pixi Lab. Research from the Pixi lab has received honors including a CHI
CHI (conference)
The ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems series of academic conferences is generally considered the most prestigious in the field of human–computer interaction. It is hosted by ACM SIGCHI, the Special Interest Group on computer–human interaction. CHI has been held annually since...
Best Paper award. Edwards has also been invited to be Technical Program Chair for the ACM CHI
CHI (conference)
The ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems series of academic conferences is generally considered the most prestigious in the field of human–computer interaction. It is hosted by ACM SIGCHI, the Special Interest Group on computer–human interaction. CHI has been held annually since...
conference 2010 and is currently serving as a member of Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Corporation’s Trustworthy Computing Advisory Board.