Joseph Konstan Earns Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award

Department of Computer Science & Engineering professor Joseph Konstan earned the 2022 Outstanding Contribution to the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Award for his 25 years of dedicated service and leadership in support of ACM's mission and operation, and the advancement of ACM's research, education, and practitioner communities. Konstan, who is also the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Science and Engineering, was one of four individuals recognized today by ACM for their exemplary service to the computing field.

Konstan has been involved in ACM’s activities for over 25 years: participating in, developing, and nurturing new technical areas, serving on key task forces and committees, and leading several of ACM’s major boards and working groups. He has demonstrated a volunteer spirit that has been an example and inspiration for others who have had the opportunity to work with him. His long involvement in and deep insight into ACM’s operation and governance has made him a trusted source of advice for ACM’s elected leadership, volunteers, and staff. 

Konstan’s service started in 1994 within ACM SIGCHI’s conferences, eventually becoming SIGCHI’s President (2003-2006) and Chair of the SIG Governing Board (2006-2008), and as a member of ACM’s Executive Committee. During that time, he served on a task force on the future of ACM-W.  

As Co-Chair of the Publications Board (2013-2022), Konstan served on ACM’s Extended Executive Committee, providing insightful advice and recommendations to the elected leadership. In that regard, he chaired ACM’s Strategic Planning Workgroup (2013–2014), which set the priorities and roadmap for ACM’s continued growth and development. He also worked on the task force on the future of the Journal of the ACM (JACM) and chaired the task force on ACM’s future directions in Health and Medical Informatics.  

Konstan is hailed by colleagues for his efforts to bring people together to make the best decisions for ACM and the communities it serves. His many contributions to ACM have been, and no doubt will continue to be, outstanding. 

The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award recognizes outstanding service contributions to the Association. Candidates are selected based on the value and degree of service overall and may be given to up to three individuals each year.

Learn more about the award and previous winners on the ACM website.