Computer Science Academy of Distinguished Alumni
Each year, the Department of Computer Science recognizes alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in computing while working in industry, government, or academia.
- The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions in research and/or practice among those who graduated with a computer science degree more than 15 years ago. Our distinguished alumni are inducted into the Computer Science Academy of Distinguished Alumni.
- The Distinguished Early Career Alumni Award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions in research and/or practice among those whose computer science degree was awarded within the past 15 years.
2024 honorees
Distinguished Alumni Award: Mike Austin, a former chair and member of the Virginia Tech Computer Science Advisory Board and a professor of practice in the Department of Computing at East Tennessee State University.
Early Career Alumni Award: Elena Nadolinski, founder and CEO of Iron Fish, a privacy-first cryptocurrency company, currently serves on the technical advisory board for CS/root, a project of the Virginia Tech Department of Computer Science.
Past honorees
Academy of Distinguished Alumni
- Christine "Chris" Bryan (2023)
- Lisa Finneran (2022)
- Betsy Bizot (2021)
- Joshua Mindel (2020)
- Dan Larimer (2019)
- David Lavery (2018)
- Keith Sturgill (2017)
- Jamika Burge (2015)
- Bo Begole (2013)
- Lucy Nowell (2012)
- Greg Lavender (2010)
Early Career Alumni Award
College of Engineering honors
Alumni of the Department of Computer Science who have been recognized with college-level awards include:
Academy of Engineering Excellence
James Miller (2023), Mary Miller (2010), Greg Lavender (2014), Lucy Nowell (2018), and Lisa Finneran (2022).
Distinguished Alumni Award
Kathy de Paolo (2019), Mary Miller (2013), and Joseph Loring (2012).
Outstanding Young Alumni Award
David Childress (2014) and Pardha Pyla (2014).