Kevin Leyton-Brown

Kevin Leyton-Brown, Professor, University of British Columbia, receives the ACM - AAAI Allen Newell Award for fundamental contributions to artificial intelligence and machine learning, focusing on applications to multiagent systems, heuristic algorithms, social impact, and market design.

Leyton-Brown has made numerous significant contributions to artificial intelligence, specifically in the areas of computational economics and game theory and automated configuration/design of algorithms using machine learning. He is internationally recognized as a leader in these areas, and as a scientist who tackles interesting, impactful problems in a creative manner. Complementing his strong theoretical skills is an empirical approach to identifying and solving difficult and important problems.

In the area of multi-agent systems, Leyton-Brown has made numerous contributions which have proven to have a sustained impact on the field. He is perhaps best known for his work on combinatorial auctions—auctions in which bidders can express their valuations for collections of goods rather than single goods—leading to much greater economic efficiency.

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, has named 95 members ACM Fellows for wide-ranging and fundamental contributions in areas including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, computer graphics, computational biology, data science, human-computer interaction, software engineering, theoretical computer science, and virtual reality, among other areas. The accomplishments of the 2020 ACM Fellows have driven innovations that ushered in significant improvements across many areas of technology, indus.try, and personal life.

The ACM Fellows program recognizes the top 1% of ACM Members for their outstanding accomplishments in computing and information technology and/or outstanding service to ACM and the larger computing community. Fellows are nominated by their peers, with nominations reviewed by a distinguished selection committee.

"This year our task in selecting the 2020 Fellows was a little more challenging, as we had a record number of nominations from around the world,” explained ACM President Gabriele Kotsis. “The 2020 ACM Fellows have demonstrated excellence across many disciplines of computing. These men and women have made pivotal contributions to technologies that are transforming whole industries, as well as our personal lives. We fully expect that these new ACM Fellows will continue in the vanguard in their respective fields."

Underscoring ACM’s global reach, the 2020 Fellows represent universities, corporations and research centers in Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The contributions of the 2020 Fellows run the gamut of the computing field―including algorithms, networks, computer architecture, robotics, distributed systems, software development, wireless systems, and web science―to name a few.

Additional information about the 2020 ACM Fellows, as well as previously named ACM Fellows, is available through the ACM Fellows site.

News release

ACM named 49 Distinguished Members for outstanding contributions to the field. The 2018 ACM Distinguished Members are exemplars for their peers, and represent ACM’s worldwide geographic reach, as well as the exciting range of subdisciplines that constitute today’s technology landscape.

"By honoring these individuals, we highlight the professional achievements behind the technologies that have transformed both our daily lives and society in general,” explains ACM President Cherri M. Pancake. “Each Distinguished Member has also demonstrated a commitment to being part of the professional community through his or her longstanding membership in ACM. These computing leaders really epitomize ACM’s mission of ‘advancing computing as a science and a profession.’"

The 2018 ACM Distinguished Members work at leading universities, corporations and research institutions around the world. They represent countries including Australia, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. These innovators have made contributions in a wide range of technical areas including algorithms, artificial intelligence, computer architecture, computer science education, cybersecurity, graphics, human-computer interaction, and networking.