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David J. Farber
For those who might confuse him with someone else entirely, there's a historian named David Farber. And if you're thinking of another David Faber, that's a different rabbit hole altogether, a David Faber. This is about the David J. Farber.
Farber in 2008
Born: April 17, 1934 (age 91) Alma Mater: Stevens Institute of Technology Academic Sphere: Computer Science
Institutional Affiliations:
- Bell Labs
- RAND Corporation
- Scientific Data Systems
- University of California, Irvine
- University of Delaware
- Heinz College
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Keio University
Notable Doctoral Students: Jon Postel, Dave Sincoskie, Marshall Rose, Paul Mockapetris
This particular article, frankly, is a bit thin on substantiation. It’s crying out for more citations, more proof. Without them, it’s just conjecture, isn't it? Material that isn't properly sourced is susceptible to being challenged, and quite rightly so. It would behoove someone to improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Don't leave it in this state of academic disrepair. Find sources – look for news, newspapers, books, scholarly articles, or even JSTOR if you must. (Last checked March 2025).
David J. Farber, born on April 17, 1934, is a figure in computer science. He’s recognized for his significant contributions to programming languages and computer networking. Currently, he holds the distinguished title of professor and co-director at the Cyber Civilization Research Center, situated at Keio University in Japan. Some have even gone so far as to dub him the "grandfather of the Internet." A rather grand title, wouldn't you agree? [1][2][3]
Career
Farber's academic journey began at the Stevens Institute of Technology, where he earned an M.E. degree in electrical engineering in 1956, followed by a second M.S. in mathematics in 1961. [4] His early career spanned eleven years at Bell Laboratories. During his tenure there, he was instrumental in the design of the initial electronic switching system, known as ESS-1, and played a role in the development of the SNOBOL programming languages. Following his time at Bell Labs, he moved into industry roles at the Rand Corporation and Scientific Data Systems. His academic path then led him to institutions such as the University of California, Irvine, the University of Delaware, and Carnegie Mellon University. In recognition of his foundational work, Stevens Institute bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate in engineering in 1999. [4]
At University of California, Irvine, his research efforts were directed toward the creation of what was then the world's first operational distributed computer system. Later, while affiliated with the electrical engineering department at the University of Delaware, he was pivotal in conceptualizing and organizing several critical American research networks. These included CSNET, NSFNet, and the National Research and Education Network (NREN). He also played a role in establishing the NSF/DARPA-funded Gigabit Network Test bed Initiative and chaired its coordinating committee.
Subsequently, Farber was appointed as the Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Telecommunication Systems at the University of Pennsylvania. His academic engagement extended to the Wharton School of Business, where he held a professorship in business and public policy, and the Annenberg School for Communication, where he was a faculty associate. During his time at the university, he took a leave of absence to serve as chief technologist at the US Federal Communications Commission from 2000 to 2001.
Farber is also recognized as a founding editor of ICANNWatch. [5] He contributes his expertise to advisory boards, including those of Context Relevant [6] and The Liquid Information Company. [7] Furthermore, he has been a steadfast member of the founding board of the Internet Systems Consortium since 1994. [8]
Honors and Community Service
Farber's contributions have been acknowledged through numerous accolades. He is a Fellow of the AAAS, a Fellow of the IEEE, and an ACM Fellow. In 1995, he received the SIGCOMM Award for his lifelong dedication to computer communications. His involvement in shaping the digital landscape extends to his service on the board of directors for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the advisory board of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and the board of trustees for the Internet Society. He was also a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on High Performance Computing and Communications, Information Technology and Next Generation Internet. Beyond his professional achievements, he manages a widely-read mailing list, "Interesting-People," boasting over 25,000 subscribers. [9] In 2012, in honor of his son, Joseph M. Farber, he established a prize at the Stevens Institute of Technology. This award recognizes a graduating senior in the College of Arts and Letters who demonstrates a profound commitment to civil liberties and their crucial role in safeguarding human rights.
On August 3, 2013, Farber was formally inducted into the Pioneers Circle of the Internet Hall of Fame. [10] Further cementing his academic standing, he was elected as an AAAS Fellow by the Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2018.