M. Brian Blake, associate dean for research and professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has been named a Distinguished Scientist by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and selected as one of the “50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology” by San-Francisco-based publisher eAccess Corporation.
Each year the ACM recognizes a select few of its members, those with a minimum of 15 years of professional experience who have made significant contributions to both the practical and theoretical aspects of computing and information technology. Blake is among the 41 members so honored this year.
He also was included on the recent list of the “50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology.” The list, now in its 11th year, recognizes innovators, executives, educators and public policymakers who have made a noteworthy impact on the global technology scene. Honorees typically participate in a technology symposium, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in January.
A faculty member since 2009, Blake’s expertise encompasses the areas of software engineering, Web services, e-commerce and related services. He has published more than 110 journal articles, book chapters and refereed conference papers based on his investigations in service-oriented computing, agents and workflow technologies; enterprise integration and electronic commerce; software process and life cycles; and software engineering education.
His administrative responsibilities in the Office of the Dean include strategic research administration, the development of faculty and graduate student recruitment and diversity strategies, as well as interaction with corporate and foundation partners with respect to research and external initiatives. In this capacity he works closely with Peter Kilpatrick, the McCloskey Dean of Engineering and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Graduate School and individual departments within the College of Engineering. He also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in software engineering and eTechnology.
Prior to joining the University, Blake served as department chair and director of graduate studies in computer science at Georgetown University. He also has served as adjunct professor at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and as consulting director of services computing and research for Cleared Solutions Inc., supporting the U.S. Department of Defense. He has worked as an expert-level system architect and software engineering consultant for organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Justice and various legal firms and has served as a software architect and expert developer at companies such as General Dynamics, General Electric, Lockheed Martin and The MITRE Corporation.
Blake is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society and a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.
He currently serves as associate editor-in-chief for IEEE Internet Computing and associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Services Computing, two of the top journals in his specialty. Blake has served as committee member or organizer for four National Academies Studies, served on the National Science Foundation’s Computer Information Systems and Engineering Advisory Committee and as general or program chair for five of the most recognized research conferences in his field.
Blake received his doctorate in information and software engineering from George Mason University (2000); his master’s in electrical engineering — with a minor in software engineering — from Mercer University (1997) and his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (1994).