Internet Pioneer to Speak at Ohio University

Contact: Trevor R. Roycroft, director, J. Warren McClure of School of Communication Systems Management, (740) 593-4887 or roycroft@ohiou.edu

ATHENS, Ohio (April 25, 2001) -- Vinton G. Cerf, widely known as the "Father of the Internet," will speak at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 3, in the Baker University Center Ballroom at Ohio University.

Cerf is the keynote speaker for the J. Warren McClure School of Communication Systems Management during Communication Week on campus. His talk, "Internet: A 21st Century Tidal Wave," is free and open to the public.

In December 1997, former President Bill Clinton presented the U.S. National Medal of Technology to Cerf and his partner, Robert E. Kahn, for founding and developing the Internet. In December 1994, People magazine identified Cerf as one of that year's "25 Most Intriguing People."

Cerf is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. During his tenure from 1976 to 1982 with the U.S. Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Cerf played a key role leading the development of Internet and Internet-related data packet and security technologies.

He serves as chairman of the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Cerf served as founding president of the Internet Society from 1992 to 1995 and in 1999 served a term as chairman of the board. He completed his term as founding chairman and continues to serve as a member of the Internet Societal Task Force and its steering group, which focuses on making the Internet accessible to everyone and analyzing international, national and local policies surrounding Internet use.

Cerf is senior vice president of Internet Architecture and Technology for WorldCom. Cerf's team of architects and engineers designs advanced networking frameworks including Internet-based solutions for delivering a combination of data, information, voice and video services for business and consumer use.

In addition to his work on behalf of WorldCom and the Internet, Cerf has served as a technical advisor to production for "Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict." He also made a special guest appearance in May 1998. Cerf has appeared on the television programs "NextWave" with Leonard Nimoy and "World Business Review" with Alexander Haig and Casper Weinberger.

Cerf also holds an appointment as a distinguished visiting scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he is working on the design of an interplanetary Internet.

Communication Week continues the tradition of celebrating the six units within the College of Communication. Activities throughout the week encourage student interaction with prominent leaders in the communication field. For more information about Communication Week 2001 events, visit the college's web site at www.commcoll.ohiou.edu/crrentstudents/commweek.html