Stephen E. Cross
Encyclopedia
Stephen E. Cross is the current Executive Vice President for Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology
, a position to which he was appointed in 2010. Previously, he served as the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
from 2003 until 2010. He was also previously the director and chief executive officer of Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute
. Cross has published more than 60 research papers in computing, and has provided expert testimony to congress. He is an IEEE Fellow
, a former Editor in Chief of IEEE Intelligent Systems
, and a recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal
.
As Executive Vice President for Research, Cross oversees all research at Georgia Tech, including the Georgia Tech Research Institute
, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
, the school's interdisciplinary research centers, the Enterprise Innovation Institute; and will "work closely with" academic researchers. He began the job on May 1, 2010, with Tom McDermott
serving as interim director of GTRI.
from the University of Cincinnati
in 1974 and subsequently joined the United States Air Force
. While in the Air Force, he received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology
in 1977, and would later get a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1983. Cross also graduated from United States Air Force Test Pilot School's Flight Test Engineer Program, the Air War College
, and the National Defense University
.
While Cross wished to become a pilot, his eyesight initially meant that he ended up writing embedded software
for F-15s and F-16s, although he eventually ended up being able to fly planes. Cross' experience also touched on software for cruise missile navigation, logistics, and air traffic control.
(DARPA), and was later a member and former chairman of DARPA's Information Science & Technology panel.
In 1994, Cross joined the faculty of Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, becoming a principal research scientist in their Robotics Institute
and their Institute for Software Research
. In 1996, he became the director and CEO of Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute
. While at Carnegie Mellon, Cross promoted more reliable software development
practices such as code reuse
. Cross was elected as an IEEE Fellow
in 2003 "for the development and use of modern software engineering techniques in advanced systems."
In late 2003, Cross was picked as the head of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
, an applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology
. He is also a professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and an adjunct professor in the College of Computing.
While at Georgia Tech, he has joined several research advisory boards, including the Health Systems Institute, the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, the Strategic Energy Initiative and the Tennenbaum Institute. In 2010, the Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates named Cross to the Defense Science Board
, which has a term of three years. Cross previously served on the Defense Science Board's Task Force on Defense Software.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, a position to which he was appointed in 2010. Previously, he served as the director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
from 2003 until 2010. He was also previously the director and chief executive officer of Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute
Software Engineering Institute
The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute is a federally funded research and development center headquartered on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. SEI also has offices in Arlington, Virginia, and Frankfurt, Germany. The SEI operates...
. Cross has published more than 60 research papers in computing, and has provided expert testimony to congress. He is an IEEE Fellow
IEEE Fellow
An IEEE member is elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow for "unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred by the Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest"...
, a former Editor in Chief of IEEE Intelligent Systems
IEEE Intelligent Systems
IEEE Intelligent Systems, a bimonthly publication of the IEEE Computer Society. It is an AAAI-sponsored journal. Cosponsors are the British Computer Society and the European Coordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence....
, and a recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
.
As Executive Vice President for Research, Cross oversees all research at Georgia Tech, including the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
, the Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
The Georgia Tech Research Corporation is an organization that supports research and technological development at Georgia Tech. It was founded in 1937 as the Industrial Development Council to be a contract organization for the Engineering Experiment Station...
, the school's interdisciplinary research centers, the Enterprise Innovation Institute; and will "work closely with" academic researchers. He began the job on May 1, 2010, with Tom McDermott
Tom McDermott (engineer)
Tom McDermott is the Deputy Director and Director of Research at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a position he has held since 2007.-Early life and education:...
serving as interim director of GTRI.
Education and Air Force
Cross earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical EngineeringElectrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in 1974 and subsequently joined the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. While in the Air Force, he received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology
Air Force Institute of Technology
The Air Force Institute of Technology is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education that is part of the United States Air Force. It is located on Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT has been...
in 1977, and would later get a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1983. Cross also graduated from United States Air Force Test Pilot School's Flight Test Engineer Program, the Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
, and the National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
.
While Cross wished to become a pilot, his eyesight initially meant that he ended up writing embedded software
Embedded software
Embedded software is computer software that plays an integral role in the electronics it is supplied with.Embedded software's principal role is not Information technology , but rather the interaction with the physical world. It's written for machines that are not, first and foremost, computers...
for F-15s and F-16s, although he eventually ended up being able to fly planes. Cross' experience also touched on software for cruise missile navigation, logistics, and air traffic control.
Academic career
Cross was a program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new technology for use by the military...
(DARPA), and was later a member and former chairman of DARPA's Information Science & Technology panel.
In 1994, Cross joined the faculty of Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, becoming a principal research scientist in their Robotics Institute
Robotics Institute
The Robotics Institute is a division of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is considered to be one of the leading centers of robotics research in the world....
and their Institute for Software Research
Carnegie Mellon Institute for Software Research International
The Carnegie Mellon Institute for Software Research International is part of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
. In 1996, he became the director and CEO of Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute
Software Engineering Institute
The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute is a federally funded research and development center headquartered on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. SEI also has offices in Arlington, Virginia, and Frankfurt, Germany. The SEI operates...
. While at Carnegie Mellon, Cross promoted more reliable software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...
practices such as code reuse
Code reuse
Code reuse, also called software reuse, is the use of existing software, or software knowledge, to build new software.-Overview:Ad hoc code reuse has been practiced from the earliest days of programming. Programmers have always reused sections of code, templates, functions, and procedures...
. Cross was elected as an IEEE Fellow
IEEE Fellow
An IEEE member is elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow for "unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred by the Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest"...
in 2003 "for the development and use of modern software engineering techniques in advanced systems."
In late 2003, Cross was picked as the head of the Georgia Tech Research Institute
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
, an applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. He is also a professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and an adjunct professor in the College of Computing.
While at Georgia Tech, he has joined several research advisory boards, including the Health Systems Institute, the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, the Strategic Energy Initiative and the Tennenbaum Institute. In 2010, the Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates named Cross to the Defense Science Board
Defense Science Board
The Defense Science Board is a committee of civilian experts appointed to advise the U.S. Department of Defense on scientific and technical matters...
, which has a term of three years. Cross previously served on the Defense Science Board's Task Force on Defense Software.